Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a soil bacterium that for more than a century has been known as a pathogen causing the plant crown gall disease. Unlike many other pathogens, Agrobacterium has the ability to deliver DNA to plant cells and permanently alter the plant genome. The discovery of this unique feature 30 years ago has provided plant scientists with a powerful tool to genetically transform plants for both basic research purposes and for agric- tural development. Compared to physical transformation methods such as particle bomba- ment or electroporation, Agrobacterium-mediated DNA delivery has a number of advantages. One of the features is its propensity to generate single or a low copy number of integrated transgenes with defined ends. Integration of a single transgene copy into the plant genome is less likely to trigger “gene silencing” often associated with multiple gene insertions. When the first edition of Agrobacterium Protocols was published in 1995, only a handful of plants could be routinely transformed using Agrobacterium. Ag- bacterium-mediated transformation is now commonly used to introduce DNA into many plant species, including monocotyledon crop species that were previously considered non-hosts for Agrobacterium. Most remarkable are recent devel- ments indicating that Agrobacterium can also be used to deliver DNA to non-plant species including bacteria, fungi, and even mammalian cells.

An unprecedented collection of all the most up-to-date techniques for gene isolation and mapping, including the latest methods for gene characterization using database analyses. This collection of thoroughly tested recipes also includes chapters for the computational analysis of novel cDNA sequences with up-to-the-minute information on basic sequence analysis, sequence similarity searches, exon detection and similarity searches, and the prediction of gene function. Its state-of-the-art methods constitute indispensable tools for all scientists engaged in the search for specific disease genes, or in the general advancement of the human genome project.

Following the considerable success of the first edition of Plant Virology Protocols, this exciting new edition covers the many new techniques that are now applied to the examination and understanding of plant viruses. Each section presents the most novel methods and step-by-step reproducible laboratory protocols to allow researchers more effective approaches to study plant viruses. This updated book will prove indispensable to laboratory investigators studying plant viruses.

Arabidopsis Protocols, Third Edition compiles some of the most recent methodologies developed to exploit the Arabidopsis genome. These methodologies cover from the guided access to public resources, to genetic, cell biology, biochemical and physiological techniques, including both those that are widely used as well as those novel techniques likely to open up new avenues of knowledge in the future. In addition, considering the recent unparalleled progress of the “omics” tools in Arabidopsis, leading experts have contributed sections on genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and other whole-system approaches. Arabidopsis thaliana is acknowledged as the most important plant model system by the scientific community and Arabidopsis research has fundamentally influenced our understanding of the basic biology and ecology of plants. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Arabidopsis Protocols, Third Edition seeks to serve both experienced researchers and beginners with its detailed methodologies on this burgeoning scientific field.

volume 2