Seed and Molecular Resources for Arabidopsis

Abstract

Arabidopsis, because of its diminutive size, small genome, and rapid life cycle, has become the premiere research organism in plant biology. The power of Arabidopsis as a model system will become even greater now that all five of its chromosomes have been sequenced. Before 1990, extensive collections of Arabidopsis mutants were maintained by individual scientists, most notably Drs. A. R. Kranz, G. P. Rèdei, and Maarten Koornneef. It is fortunate that it was recognized early on that the establishment of seed stock centers would greatly expedite the dissemination of Arabidopsis research material to the international research community, and thus three major facilities were established. These include the National Science Foundation-supported Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (ABRC) in the United States, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council-supported Nottingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre (NASC) in the UK, and Sendai Arabidopsis Seed Stock Center (SASSC) in Japan. The role of a seed stock center is to collect, propagate, preserve, and distribute seed lines which are of use to researchers. Mutant lines are the primary core of a seed collection. Arabidopsis researchers are fortunate to have access, through the stock centers, to approximately 1,000 mutants affecting several hundred separate gene loci. As we enter the post-genomic era this number will be augmented greatly. The mutant lines currently available possess a wide range of interesting characteristics useful to modern biological research. The genes affected by many of these mutations have been cloned and characterized, and there is potential benefit to be derived from the use of appropriate mutants in all areas of plant research.