Genes involved in plant fibre development

Abstract

The present invention provides polypeptides, and polynucleotides encoding therefore, involved in the regulation of fibre initiation and/or elongation in fibre producing plants. In particular, the present invention provides methods of altering fibre initiation in cotton making use of transcription factors, regulatory proteins or cell cycle proteins produced at or around anthesis. The invention also relates to the use of these as markers of fibre production in plants including cotton.

1 - 84 . (canceled) 
     
     
         85 . A method of altering fibre initiation and/or elongation in a fibre producing plant comprising manipulating said plant such that the production of a polypeptide is modified when compared to a wild-type plant, wherein the polypeptide is a transcription factor, regulatory protein, or a cell cycle protein, produced in said wild type plant at, or around, anthesis. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 i) an amino acid sequence provided as any one of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 16; or   ii) an amino acid sequence which is at least 50% identical to anyone of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 16.   
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  which comprises recombinantly expressing the polypeptide in said plant. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 85  which comprises reducing the level of the polypeptide endogenously produced by the plant. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the level of the polypeptide endogenously produced by the plant is reduced by exposing the plant to an antisense polynucleotide or a catalytic polynucleotide which hybridizes to an mRNA molecule encoding the polypeptide, and/or the level of the polypeptide endogenously produced by the plant is reduced by exposing the plant to a mRNA molecule that specifically down-regulates mRNA levels in a cell of an mRNA molecule encoding the polypeptide. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the plant is a species of the Genus  Gossypium.    
     
     
         91 . A method of assessing the potential of a fibre producing plant to produce fibre, the method comprising analysing the plant for a genetic variation in a polynucleotide associated with fibre initiation and/or elongation, wherein the polynucleotide encodes a transcription factor, regulatory protein, or a cell cycle protein, produced in a wild type plant at, or around, anthesis, and/or the method comprising analysing the plant for a polypeptide involved in fibre initiation and/or elongation, wherein the polypeptide is a transcription factor, regulatory protein, or a cell cycle protein, produced in a wild type plant at, or around, anthesis. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein the polynucleotide comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 i) a nucleotide sequence provided as anyone of SEQ ID NOs:17 to 45; or   ii) a nucleotide sequence which is at least 50% identical to anyone of SEQ ID NOs:17 to 45.   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein the polypeptide comprises a sequence selected from the group consisting of:
 i) an amino acid sequence provided as any one of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 16; or   ii) an amino acid sequence which is at least 50% identical to any one of SEQ ID NOs:1 to 16.   
     
     
         94 . A method of breeding a fibre producing plant, the method comprising performing a method of  claim 91 . 
     
     
         95 . A method of selecting from a breeding population a fibre producing plant with altered fibre initiation and/or elongation potential, the method comprising;
 i) crossing two plants which have differing potential to produce fibre,   ii) performing a method of  claim 91  on progeny plants,   iii) selecting a progeny plant with altered fibre initiation and/or elongation potential when compared to a parent plant.   
     
     
         96 . A plant produced by the method of  claim 94 . 
     
     
         97 . A plant produced by the method of  claim 95 . 
     
     
         98 . Transgenic seed of a plant produced by the method of  claim 94 . 
     
     
         99 . Transgenic seed of a plant produced by the method of  claim 95 . 
     
     
         100 . Transgenic fibre of plant produced by the method of  claim 94 . 
     
     
         101 . Transgenic fibre of a plant produced by the method of  claim 95 . 
     
     
         102 . A method of identifying an agent which alters fibre initiation and/or elongation of a fibre producing plant, the method comprising
 a) exposing a polynucleotide which is at least 50% identical to anyone of SEQ ID NOs:17 to 45 to a candidate agent, and   b) assessing the ability of the candidate agent to hybridize and/or cleave the polynucleotide.