Characterization of Poplar Overexpressing Xylanase

Yong Woo Park (Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011)
Kei’ichi Baba (Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011)
Yuzo Furuta (Biological Function Science Course Kyoto Prefectural University Shimogamo-nakaragi-cho, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8522)
Keisuke Kojiro (Biological Function Science Course Kyoto Prefectural University Shimogamo-nakaragi-cho, Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8522)
Masato Yoshida (Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku Nagoya 464-8601)
Takahisa Hayashi (Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji 611-0011)

Wood Research Journal : Journal of Indonesian Wood Research Society
Vol 1, No 1 (2010): Wood Research Journal

We expressed Hordeum vulgare (barley) xylanase constitutively in Populus tremula x alba (poplar). The expression of xylanase reduced not only the amount of hemicellulose but also the amount of lignin in the secondary xylem. Stem and leaf growth rates were accelerated in transgenic plants. The stems also developed increased flexibility, especially in their younger parts, specifically, the regions above the 10th internode from the top. The secondary walls in the xylem would be slower to mature in xylanase-expressing poplar than in the wild type.