Project Number: 5440-21220-032-04
Project Type: General Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Feb 01, 2011
End Date: Jan 31, 2016

Objective:
To develop transgenic lines overexpressing phenylpropanoid biosynthetic enzymes. In year 1, we will assemble T-DNA transformation vectors to transgenic overexpression of phenylpropanoid metabolic genes in sorghum. In years 2 and 3, complete the transformation and characterization of these transgenic lines. This objective will provide transgenic lines that over-express all 10 gene products in sorghum monolignol biosynthesis for specific objectives 2-5.

Approach:
To increase carbon flux through the phenylpropanoid pathway, we will introduce seven constitutive expression cassettes under control of the maize ubiquitin promoter. We will constitutively express the genes encoding 7 enzymes in the sorghum monolignol pathway: cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate-CoA ligase, hydroxycinnamoyl CoA:shikimate/quinate transferase, caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase, ferulate 5-hydroxylase, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase in RTx430 sorghum. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation will be used coupled to npt II selectable marker. For each transgenic cassette a minimum of 10 independent events will be generated.