Resumen
The invention relates to a biotechnological application of the RAV1 (Related to ABI3 and Viviparous 1) gene and the RAV2 counterpartthereof in relation to the capacity thereof, when the expression levels thereof or the activity of the proteins that they encode are modified, to increase or decrease the development of sylleptic and/or proleptic branches in ligneous species. The modification of the expression of said genes enables an increase in the production of biomass of a plantation of ligneous species, or a reduction in the number of knots in the trunk of ligneous species for use as timber.
Reivindicaciones
1. Method for increasing or reducing the development of sylleptic and/or proleptic branching in a ligneous plant with respect to its wild variety which comprises modifying the expression of genesRAV1 and/orRAV2, or of their functional derivatives. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said modification is performed in the whole plant. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said modification is performed specifically in a tissue or organ. 4. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said modification is permanent. 5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said modification is temporary. 6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said modification of the expression ofRAV1 and/orRAV2 is an overexpression. 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said overexpression comprises introducing a gene construct in the plant. 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said gene construct comprises the fusion to a promoter of a gene encoding a polypeptide simultaneously containing the AP2 and B3 domains, or their functional derivative. 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said gene isRAV1 and/orRAV2. 10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said gene is the geneCsRAV1 fromCastanea sativa Miller identified by SEQ ID NO: 1. 11. A method according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein said promoter is a constitutive promoter. 12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said constitutive promoter is CaMV35S, cauliflower mosaic virus 35S, or its functional derivative. 13. A method according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein said promoter is an inducible promoter. 14. A method according to any of claims 8 to 13, wherein said promoter is a tissue- or organ-specific promoter. 15. TheCsRAV1 gene isolated fromCastanea sativa Miller identified by SEQ ID NO: 1. 16. CsRAV1 isolated fromCastanea sativa Miller identified by a sequence with at least 91.7% of identity with respect to SEQ ID NO: 1. 17. The protein obtained in the expression ofCsRAV1 identified by SEQ ID NO: 2. 18. Expression vector comprising the gene CsRAV1 and the promoter CaMV35S, or their functional derivatives. 19. Ligneous plant with at least one CsRAV1-encoding polynucleotide, or its functional analogs, stably integrated in the genome of the cells. 20. A method according to claim 6, wherein said overexpression is obtained at least by a mutation or an insertion of T-DNA in a gene encoding a polypeptide simultaneously containing the AP2 and B3 domains. 21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said gene isRAV1 and/orRAV2, or their functional derivatives. 22. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein said modification of the expression ofRAV1 and/orRAV2 is a reduction in expression. 23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said reduction in expression comprises gene silencing. 24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said gene silencing is obtained by interference RNAs, microRNAs or antisense messengers. 25. A method according to any of claims 22 to 24, wherein said reduction comprises introducing a gene construct to the plant. 26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said gene construct comprises the fusion to a promoter of a gene encoding a polypeptide simultaneously containing the AP2 and B3 domains, or their functional derivative to a promoter. 27. A method according to claim 26, wherein said gene isRAV1 and/orRAV2. 28. A method according to one of claims 26 or 27, wherein said promoter is a constitutive promoter. 29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said constitutive promoter is CaMV35S, cauliflower mosaic virus 35S, or its functional derivative. 30. A method according to one of claims 26 or 27, wherein said promoter is an inducible promoter. 31. A method according to any of claims 26 to 30, wherein said promoter is a tissue- or organ-specific promoter. 32. A method according to claim 22, wherein said reduction comprises the endogenous production of at least one specific antibody against a protein simultaneously containing the AP2 and B3 domains. 33. A method according to claim 32, wherein said protein is RAV1 and/or RAV2. 34. A method according to claim 22, wherein said reduction is obtained at least by a mutation or an insertion of T-DNA in a gene encoding a polypeptide simultaneously containing the AP2 and B3 domains. 35. A method according to claim 34, wherein said gene isRAV1 and/orRAV2, or their functional derivatives. 36. Cell of ligneous plant with modified RAV1 and/or RAV2 expression. 37. Transgenic ligneous plant with modified RAV1 and/or RAV2 expression. 38. Plant product obtained from a transgenic ligneous plant with modified RAV1 and/or RAV2 expression. 39. A plant product according to claim 38, wherein said plant product is a bioliquid. 40. A plant product according to claim 39, wherein said bioliquid is a biofuel. 41. Wood obtained from a transgenic ligneous plant with modified RAV1 and/or RAV2 expression.
