Beta-glucuronidase as reporter gene: advantages and limitations.

The beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene is used extensively in plant biology studies; this analysis summarizes its advantages and limitations. With the advances in genomic sequencing and computational analyses (including bioinformatics), its application in the study of plant gene expression is now an integral component of modern day plant science. This chapter focuses on the detailed challenges of carrying out GUS studies for both qualitative and quantitative analyses, including the increasing employment of GUS from Bacillus strains, rather than E. coli; the Bacillus GUS genes encode proteins with enhanced properties, such as both increased thermostability and stability in the presence of crosslinking fixatives.