T-DNA insertion mutagenesis in Arabidopsis: Going back and forth

T-DNA insertion mutagenesis in Arabidopsis has been instrumental in advancing our knowledge of the physiology, biochemistry and development of plants. In justa few years plant biology, the late starter molecular genetics, has placed itself at the forefront of science in large measure as a result of the more than 20 000 T-DNA transformants that have been generated in Arabidopsis. To date, approximately 4000 mutants have been identified and more than 40 genes have been isolated via the T-DNA tag. The large population of transformed lines is now being subjected to a PCR-based reverse genetics strategy to identify new insertion mutants in sequences of interest.