title: Over-expression of a putative poplar glycosyltransferase gene, PtGT1, in tobacco increases lignin content and causes early flowering.
abstract: Family 1 glycosyltransferases catalyse the glycosylation of small molecules and play an important role in maintaining cell homeostasis and regulating plant growth and development. In this study, a putative glycosyltransferase gene of family 1, PtGT1, was cloned from poplar (Populus tomentosa Carr.). Sequence analysis showed that this gene encodes a protein of 481 amino acid residues with a conserved PSPG box at its C-terminal, suggesting that it is active in the glycosylation of plant secondary products. The PtGT1 gene was expressed in poplar stems and leaves, with a particularly high expression level in elongating stems. Transgenic tobacco plants ectopically over-expressing PtGT1 were obtained and phenotypes were analysed. Wiesner and Mäule staining showed that stem xylem of transgenic tobacco plants stained more strongly than controls. Measurement of the Klason lignins showed much higher lignin content in the transgenic lines than in control plants. Furthermore, the ectopic over-expression of PtGT1 in tobacco resulted in an early flowering phenotype. These findings offer a possible starting point towards better understanding of the function of poplar PtGT1, and provide a novel strategy for lignin engineering and flowering control in plants through the genetic manipulation of a poplar glycosyltransferase gene.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Plant Cell Engineering and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Education; School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Chao
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shang-Hui
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bing-Kai
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008031:Lignin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D032107:Populus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D008031:Lignin; D016695:Glycosyltransferases