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 just a few years plant biology, the late starter of molecular genetics, has placed itself at the forefront of science in large measure as a result of the more than 20000 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 in now being subjected to a PCR-based reverse genetics strategy to identify new insertion mutants in sequences of interest.