Functional Characterization of UDP-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Gene from Jute (Corchorus Capsularis L.) and Its Role in Cellulose Synthesis in Arabidopsis Thaliana

In this study, we subcloned the full-length cDNA of the UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene of Corchorus capsularis into expression vector pCAMBIA 1301. Arabidopsis were transformed by floral-dip method, PCR and southern hybridization results indicate exogenous gene was integrated into the Arabidopsis genome. Overexpression of CcUGPase gene revealed increased height and more rapid growth rate in transgenic Arabidopsis compared with control lines. Importantly, the transgenic Arabidopsis have more cellulose content than control lines, while the lignin content remained unchanged. The results indicate that jute UGPase gene participates in cellulose biosynthesis in plants, which provides an important basis for the application of the UGPase gene in the improvement of jute fiber quality.