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Plant Physiol, December 2001, Vol. 127, pp. 1354-1360
SCIENTIFIC CORRESPONDENCE
Learning from the Arabidopsis Experience. The Next Gene Search
Paradigm
Ray A.
Bressan,*
Changqing
Zhang,
Hui
Zhang,
Paul M.
Hasegawa,
Hans
J.
Bohnert, and
Jian-Kang
Zhu
Center For Plant Environmental Stress Physiology, Department of
Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West
Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1165 (R.A.B., P.M.H.); Departments of Plant
Biology and of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, 1201 West Gregory
Drive, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (H.J.B.); and Department of Plant
Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721 (C.Z., H.Z.,
J.-K.Z.)
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PLANT MODELS |
Many species have become conscripted
for studies in plant biology, with the choices usually driven by
considerations such as genetic potential, developmental complexity, or
biochemical exclusivity or by a combination of these features. Also,
species have been chosen for possessing characteristics of a primarily economic interest, such as the synthesis of storage compounds, for
example, and this may be combined with morphological and developmental attributes such as fruit or seed development. Maize (Zea
mays) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) may
be cited as established models in this category. Many models in plant
biology research fall into a category that derives its rationale from
commercial value. They have been favored primarily because of the
species' nature as an agricultural commodity and therefore possess a
bounty of characteristics of primary interest. In no small part,
priorities in research funding in plant biology, based on perceived
immediate benefits, have led to a concentration on these species. It is remarkable, however, that species with no intrinsic commercial value
chosen at least in part for experimental expediency or for unique
developmental or phenotypic characters have been indispensable prerequisites for fundamental breakthroughs, providing correlative application potential for the crop-type models. Indeed, expounding the
importance of choosing an appropriate organism to facilitate the study
of biological phenomena is akin to carrying owls to Athens.
The development of modern concepts of genetics, successful to an extent
that a heightened attention to the progress of genetic studies has
become part of our everyday culture and political awareness, started
with the development of a few models such as Escherichia
coli and its phages, yeast (Saccharomyces
cerevisiae), Drosophila melanogaster, and corn.
Interesting is how important Mendel viewed the choice of organisms.
While working his way through several plant models, Mendel noted,
"The selection of the plant group which is to serve for experiments
of this kind must be made with all possible care if it is desired to
avoid from the outset every risk of questionable results" (Orel,
1996 ; Henig, 2000 ). The advantages of the self-fertilizing pea
(Pisum sativum) plants, combined with Mendel's
quantitative training in physics, greatly facilitated advancement
through scrupulous analysis and visionary interpretation, leading to
the hypotheses of inherited "factors" (Lander and Weinberg, 2000 ).
Along this road, plant model organisms have in the past and continuing
to this date been instrumental in revealing many important principles
of genetics. Plant models have seminally aided our knowledge of
chromosome structure, division and genome organization, paramutation
and gene mimicry, gene silencing, and, certainly, DNA transposition.
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ARABIDOPSIS BECOMES THE PREEMINENT MODEL |
The earliest Arabidopsis research is associated with the names of
Friedrich Laibach (1900s), with pioneering work on chromosome structure
and function, and Erna Rheinholz (1940s), with mutational genetic
experimentation (Glass, 1951 ; Rédei, 1992 ). The latter studies
resulted in the first report of Arabidopsis mutants and revealed the
wide array of phenotypes that were controlled by single genes. Thus,
the foundation was laid for the use of an inconspicuous weed as the
primary model for plant genetics and biology research of the future.
The adoption of Arabidopsis as a plant genetic model has since played a
crucial role in our understanding of plant genes and their biological
functions (Somerville, 2000 ; Meinke et al., 1998 ). Arabidopsis
represents the quintessential model system chosen exclusively for its
experimental attributes. Significantly, Arabidopsis possesses no
redeeming agricultural features, which might explain the reluctance of
its widespread acceptance until the 1980s. Its ascent to glory since
has been based on an inspired and visionary interaction, rarely
encountered, between scientists and administrators of funding agencies
(National Science Foundation, 1990 ). The features of Arabidopsis
that first attracted genetics researchers, comparable with the D. melanogaster model, were small size, high fecundity, and a rapid
life cycle. Not unlike D. melanogaster, these qualities have
allowed for the compaction of space and the time needed for
experiments. After the advent of molecular genetics and the cloning of
genes, small genome size became, for some time, another important
explicitly helpful attribute of Arabidopsis and pointed the way to its
choice as the first plant genome to be completely sequenced. Also, the ability to transform Arabidopsis evolved from stages of considerable difficulty to the present situation that can be described as almost effortless (Bent, 2000 ), and this ease of transformation has placed Arabidopsis, in this respect, in an advantageous position over many
other important model systems including animal models. This has led to
the development of large-scale forward and reverse genetic screens to
identify the function of unprecedented numbers of genes (Maes et al.,
1999 ; Weigel et al., 2000 ; Young et al., 2001 ).
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POST-ARABIDOPSIS GENOMICS |
We have entered the era of post-Arabidopsis genome sequence
research. In essence, this means that we must begin to think about what
direction research should take after some functional information is
known about all genes in the Arabidopsis ecotype Columbia genome. One
rationale for adding new models is now the desire to harness more
evolutionary variation and ecological breadth of traits but at the same
time retain as many as possible of the advantages that make Arabidopsis
so attractive (Pigliucci, 1998 ). It is becoming increasingly clear that
the genetics of some traits are refractive to studies using
Arabidopsis, owing to the evolutionary position occupied by the
Arabidopsis genome. The evolutionary history of Arabidopsis, reflected
in specific genes and alleles and their hardwired interactions, is such
that even the vast arsenal of Arabidopsis-based molecular tools cannot
be used exclusively on Arabidopsis to fully understand a number of
important traits. In other words, critical genes affecting at least
some important biological traits may be absent altogether or exist in
the Arabidopsis genome in forms that have evolved to function in other
ways. For example, genes that are crucial in determining traits such as perennial growth, the development of salt glands, or genes for nodulation may be altogether absent. Also, an Arabidopsis gene that is
known to function in resistance to a specific pathogen may still
resemble closely a gene from tomato that evolved to control resistance
to a very different pathogen. An important future goal will be to
identify those critical genes by choosing and utilizing appropriate
genomes (plants) that display important traits that are not obvious or
easy to measure in the commonly studied ecotypes of Arabidopsis.
Expansion of the genomics tools in other important model species such
as rice (Oryza sativa) and maize will facilitate the search for gene functions outside the evolutionary position of the
Arabidopsis genome. Certainly, the completion of the sequencing of the
rice genome will offer the opportunity to obtain functional information
about many genes that have evolved in Arabidopsis beyond our ability to
recognize easily in other species, and thereby assign function to them
simply by comparison to Arabidopsis sequences (Bevan and Murphy,
1999 ).
These genomes or expressed sequence tag (EST) databases will
facilitate direct comparisons between the phenotypes of gene knockouts
of seemingly related or identical genes from different species. Such
information will be crucial to the analysis of sequences similar enough
to know that they are related, but not similar enough to be confident
that they have the same or even similar functions. Comparisons of these
knockouts will provide bountiful information on the evolution of
biological function and the basis of ecological adaptation of genes
that have diverged during the separation of species. The limiting
factor in obtaining these important comparisons will be the ability to
obtain gene knockouts in specific genes of different plant species that
do not have available the molecular genetic tools of Arabidopsis, in
particular, ease of transformation and availability of tagged mutant
collections for reverse genetic screens. However, RNA interference
technology (Citovsky, 1999 ; Chuang and Meyerowitz, 2000 ; DiSerio
et al., 2001 ; Vaucheret and Fagard, 2001 ) should prove very useful for producing specific mutants in various species even when transformation for mutant generation is inefficient. Yet for several species that have
served as genetic models such as tomato, maize, barley (Hordeum
vulgare), rice, snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus),
and others, there are certainly many traits where mutants are already
available, and corresponding gene knockouts in Arabidopsis might easily
be found for a comparison of phenotypes.
Since emerging EST collections and expression profiles show us already
that there is much more variance in expressed genes in the plant world
than anticipated, it is becoming increasingly imperative that we tap
different genetic resources. Along with EST databases for many more
crop plants and even exotic species with important traits that are
missing in both crops and Arabidopsis, we will also eventually need
gene knockout collections in many of these species. Tomato, rice, and
maize knockout collections, for example, will not be sufficient.
Certainly, many of our other model plant systems will continue to serve
as sources of important information about the function of unique genes.
However, the Arabidopsis model, and the powerful tools associated with
it, has presented a sort of "gold standard" for model systems. Our
commentary is about Mendel's notion on the choice of models. The
immense value of the Arabidopsis model comes with the recognition that
Arabidopsis has certain limitations, and the community of plant
scientists is certainly aware of these, especially the fact that
Arabidopsis overtly lacks many traits of interest. Then what is next?
We argue here for models that include as much as possible the
well-known advantages of Arabidopsis but have the ecophysiological,
developmental and biochemical backgrounds, and lifestyles of interest
to many who have not yet fallen under the Arabidopsis spell. In
essence, we implore the recruiting of more Arabidopsis ecotypes, which
may be found in environments as diverse as possible. Also, we suggest
that certain relatives of Arabidopsis in the crucifer family
could provide superior models. Searches for such potential models have
already begun
(http://vanilla.ice.mpg.de/departments/Gen/wild.htm), and
they should continue in earnest.
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FULL USE OF THE ARABIDOPSIS GERMPLASM |
The most obvious germplasm that is available to explore for traits
absent from the commonly used Arabidopsis ecotypes is, of course, the
reservoir of additional Arabidopsis ecotypes, because they carry the
important experimental attributes needed for rapid and efficient
genetic studies. Alonso-Blanco and Koornneef (2000) have already
pointed out the limited availability of traits within the surprisingly
narrow genetic diversity of the commonly studied ecotypes. Indeed,
almost all studies using Arabidopsis have been restrained to very few
ecotypes that are also closely related (Rédei, 1992 ). Even if
genes controlling certain traits are present in the widely studied
ecotypes, identifying many of these genes can be hampered by focusing
genetic screens on only a few ecotypes because genes in any particular
genome may be redundant (have overlapping functions) or may be silent
(already nonfunctional). A good example of such a phenomenon is the
difference in the induction of early flowering by vernalization of
laboratory versus natural ecotypes of Arabidopsis that is controlled by
apparent functional and nonfunctional alleles of FLC and FRI
loci (Michaels and Amasino, 1999 ). Therefore, we emphatically agree
with Alonso-Blanco and Koornneef (2000) , who pointed to the
considerable benefit that would accrue from including a broader genetic
range of Arabidopsis ecotypes in the search for gene functions. Use of
this wider germplasm base for both map-based and insertion
mutagenesis-based gene identification will be a task for the near
future. One may be certain that there will be great rewards because of
the different life styles of many ecotypes. The large potential benefit
of such a widening of the genetic base is now being recognized, and
even different species of Arabidopsis are gaining attention
(http://ukcrop.net.agr/; http://vanilla.ice.mpg.de/departments/Gen/wild.htm).
The question is about which ecotypes and related species could be
targeted. Although much more information is needed to help answer this
question, some efforts to characterize Arabidopsis-related species are
under way. The genus Arabidopsis is composed of approximately 10 diploid species. At least two other genera exist with species that are
closely related to Arabidopsis including the Arabis group that is centered in Eurasia and the North American Boechera
group (previously classified as Arabis). Although these
relatives of Arabidopsis offer some unusual characteristics, such
as a perennial life cycle, many also have undesirable features, from a
molecular genetics perspective, notably self-incompatibility.
Nevertheless, such germplasm within the Cruciferae are already being
exploited and tested for use in the identification of genes controlling characteristics not accessible in Arabidopsis germplasm. Several laboratories are working to establish recombinant inbred lines, linkage
maps, and bacteria artificial chromosome clone
libraries of Arabidopsis lyrata and other closely related species
(http://ukcrop.net.agr/; http://vanilla.ice.mpg.de/departments/Gen/wild.htm).
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NOT ARABIDOPSIS BUT STILL "ALL IN THE FAMILY" |
We seek genes that control important characteristics for life
under stress that may be absent, or at least are functionally challenged, in Arabidopsis. There are no known ecotypes of Arabidopsis with extreme tolerance to any abiotic stresses. Even so, genes that
characterize plant "extremophiles" may actually be lurking close to
the Arabidopsis home and be more accessible than previously thought.
The crucifer (Brassicaceae) family constitutes a large and widely
distributed group of plants. Over 3,000 species inhabit all continents
except Antarctica. More importantly, crucifers have colonized virtually
all types of environments including arctic, subarctic, tropical,
subtropical, arid, true desert, temperate, alpine, marsh, aquatic,
coastal, and high altitude. In addition, crucifers have colonized many
different edaphic environments (Rollins, 1993 ). Because of this
family's extremely wide distribution within vastly different climates
and ecological settings, virtually all of the important environmental
adaptations made by plants certainly are displayed by family members.
In addition, a cornucopia of growth and developmental features are
represented. Just the roughly 700 Cruciferae species native to North
America display vast differences in both root and shoot architecture,
floral and reproductive structure and development, leaf morphology,
fruit structure, size and texture, seed number, size, and morphology,
as well as numerous other traits (Rollins, 1993 ). Traits such as
requirements for stratification, vernalization, differences in growth
patterns including perennialism, and many others with great potential
importance to agriculture can be found within this family. The degree
of genetic variation can be appreciated by a quick examination of the
startling illustrations of trichome diversity given by Rollins (1993)
in his treatise on the "Cruciferae of Continental North America".
The varying life styles found within this family imply complex
alterations between the genomes and hint at an enormous amount of
genetic diversity, not only allelic variability but also evolutionary divergence in terms of sensing and response connectivity. The Cruciferae family thus represents a storehouse of many potential plant
models with not only specific traits of interest but also other needed
experimental features that would allow rapid experimental progress. The
most important experimental features needed would be the crucial traits
of Arabidopsis. Many Cruciferae are reasonably small and produce
copious amounts of seeds in a relatively short life cycle. However,
features that allow a rapid route to identify the genes responsible for
natural trait variations or mutation-induced variant genes are of
paramount importance in these potential models. The two main routes to
connect phenotypes with specific genes are map-based cloning and
insertion-tagging mutagenesis.
Map-Based Cloning of Genes in Wild Relatives of
Arabidopsis
Crossing even closely related family members with the
Columbia ecotype is not very feasible since crucifers that are as
closely related as species within the genus Arabidopsis usually vary in chromosome number (Koch et al., 1999 ; http://ukcrop.net.agr/; http://vanilla.ice.mpg.de/departments/Gen/wild.htm).
However, many species with special characteristics within the
Cruciferae will probably be represented by a number of sexually
compatible ecotypes possessing polymorphic DNA markers. In addition, it
is possible that sequence similarity and synteny with the known genome of Arabidopsis would greatly facilitate gene-cloning strategies. Very
good colinearity has been found to exist between several Cruciferae
members. Even though more variations in microsynteny are common, the
high degree of gene sequence identity and general colinearity between
Arabidopsis and different Cruciferae species will allow the expedient
use of the Arabidopsis genome sequence to aid in mapping loci in other
Cruciferae species (Schmidt et al., 2001 ). Barbarea verna,
for example, is being used as a model biennial plant with an absolute
vernalization requirement (http://www.wfu.edu/~taguebw/) in
attempts to map genes controlling this trait.
Tagging Genes from Wild Relatives of Arabidopsis
Genes controlling unusual phenotypes in crucifer species could
potentially be identified also by an insertional mutagenesis strategy.
This would depend primarily on the feasibility of efficient genetic
transformation of these species. Bent (2000) has outlined many factors
controlling transformation efficiency in Arabidopsis and concluded that
ovule structure and development timing are the most crucial. This may
actually be a benefit because the structure and development of the
fruit and associated tissues have been primary criteria for
classification of the Cruciferae (Rollins, 1993 ). Therefore, it is a
reasonable assumption that the anatomical and developmental
characteristics affecting easy transformation have been substantially
conserved in many members of the family. In fact, other members of the
Cruciferae family have been transformed (Bent, 2000 ). In addition,
Arabidopsis mutants that affect fruit set and maturation, such as
Crabclaw (Bent, 2000 ), greatly influence transformability. These
observations suggest that even Cruciferae members that lack highly
efficient transformation potential may be sufficiently transformable to
introduce genetic changes that will increase this efficiency to an
acceptable level. Transposable elements could be used in another
strategy to overcome the lack of transformation efficiency by
increasing the number of insertion mutations resulting from each
primary transformation with an insertion element. This strategy has
been used with some success for tomato (Meissner et al., 1997 ).
Several crucifers with important traits of interest may be amenable to
insertion mutagenesis, but there is not yet any information available
about this possibility (Bent, 2000 ). We have located two members of the
genus Thellungiella, salt cress (T. halophila)
and T. parvula, that are extremely salt tolerant, and at
least one of these, salt cress, is an excellent candidate to serve as a
test case for a trait-specific crucifer model system.
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SALT CRESS: A SALINITY TOLERANCE MODEL SYSTEM FROM THE
CRUCIFERAE |
Many, too many, species have been used to examine salinity
response physiology, but the names associated with genetic or molecular genetic studies in salinity stress research are few. As a selection, they identify some Chenopodiaceae (Atriplex species,
sugar beet [Beta vulgaris], Salicornia
species, Suaeda species), Poaceae (e.g.
Distichlis species), and a few Caryophyllaceae (e.g.
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum). For M. crystallinum, large transcript collections and a coherent set of
supportive data on growth, development, and salinity stress responses
exist, and while this is less the case for sugar beet, the ability to
transform sugar beet has recently been reported (Adams et al., 1998 ;
Zhang et al., 2001 ). As we have said, the usefulness of any halophyte
model species today must be evaluated by balancing its trait of primary
interest (salinity tolerance) against the collection of molecular
genetics techniques that characterize Arabidopsis. Although Arabidopsis
is a typical glycophyte that is not very salt tolerant, technological
advantages of this model plant have been compelling in its use to study
salinity tolerance. Indeed, important advances in understanding the
bases of salt tolerance have been made using Arabidopsis, and a number of recent studies suggest that it may contain versions of many important genes that one might find in halophytic, salt-resistant, or
salt-loving plants that affect tolerance (Zhu et al., 1997 ; Shinozaki and Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, 1999 ; Zhu, 2000 , 2001 ). It is
now hypothesized that halophytes use salt tolerance effectors and
regulatory pathways very similar to those in glycophytes and that
subtle differences in their regulation can account for large variations
in salt sensitivity (Hasegawa et al., 2000a , 2000b ; Zhu, 2000 ). Many
investigators began to realize that to directly test this hypothesis,
genes responsible for tolerance mechanisms operating in halophytes must
be discovered through functional genetic analysis and the novelty of
their functions (compared with their glycophyte versions) subsequently
determined. As we have argued so far, this would require the use of a
halophytic model system that provides experimental expediency similar
to that of Arabidopsis. That is, a model would be needed that had (a)
desirable life history traits, i.e. small size, short life cycle,
self-pollination, and high seed number, and (b) favorable genetic
traits such as self-fertilization, a small genome, efficient transformation, and mutagenesis. One halophytic plant species that
meets all of these criteria is salt cress. We suggest that this plant
in the Cruciferae family can serve as an appropriate test species to
determine whether crucifer models can be developed to search for genes
that control important traits not associated with Arabidopsis. If salt
cress becomes a successful model, eventually other trait-specific
models from the Cruciferae may be found and exploited.
Although salt cress is a close relative of Arabidopsis, it is not in
the Arabidopsis genus, and having seven chromosomes, cannot be crossed
successfully with Arabidopsis despite having been considered synonymous
with Arabidopsis in the past (Al-Shehbaz and O'Kane, 1995 ; Al-Shehbaz
et al., 1999 ). The life cycle of salt cress, 2 to 2.5 months, is
similar to that of Arabidopsis. Salt cress resembles Arabidopsis in
development, size, and structure, but there are several distinguishing
developmental differences between the two species. For example,
compared with Arabidopsis (Columbia ecotype), salt cress leaves are
more elongated and serrated, with longer petioles (Fig.
1). Salt cress has an obligate
vernalization requirement in order to flower, in contrast to
Arabidopsis, where low temperature simply accelerates flowering. The
minimal vernalization time required for salt cress is approximately 3 weeks. Once rosette plants of salt cress are vernalized, they bolt
rapidly, often producing multiple inflorescences that are
morphologically similar to those of Arabidopsis (Fig. 1). As in
Arabidopsis, salt cress flowers consist of four green sepals, four
white petals, six stamens, and one pistil. All stamens are of equal
length in salt cress, whereas two different length classes are found in
Arabidopsis. Salt cress is self-fertile and has slightly shorter
siliques than Arabidopsis, but the plant is as prolific in seed yield
as Arabidopsis. As many as 4,000 to 8,000 seeds can be collected from a
single plant. Salt cress seeds are also slightly more elongated (Fig. 1).

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Figure 1.
Morphology and life cycle characteristics of salt
cress compared with Arabidopsis, Columbia ecotype. A, Both species form
rosettes, but salt cress has a longer petiole and serrated leaves. B,
Salt cress continues flowering later than Arabidopsis, producing
similar seed yield of about 4,000 to 8,000 seeds/plant with nearly
identical seeds (C). D, Salt cress plants will continue to grow and not
flower until vernalized. Flower structure (E) and inflorescences (F)
are also nearly identical, with siliques reaching maturity at about the
same time, 4 to 6 weeks.
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Salt cress is able to withstand dramatic salinity shock up to 500 mM NaCl and grow in salt far in excess of the capability of
Arabidopsis (Fig. 2). This plant does not
produce salt glands or other complex morphological alterations either
before or after salt adaptation. It appears that salt tolerance in salt
cress is largely the result of basic biochemical and physiological
mechanisms that can be subject to impact by individual gene
mutations.

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Figure 2.
Survivability of salt cress and two Arabidopsis
ecotypes (left to right, Columbia, Wassilewskija, and salt cress) in
Turface hydroponic growth medium (quarter-strength Murashige and Skoog
salts 16-h light:8-h dark photoperiod at 22°C) after
increasing NaCl exposure from 0 mM to 500 mM in
100 mM increments every 5 d. Plants were harvested and
pictures taken 10 d after reaching indicated NaCl concentration.
Out of 36 plants of each type, no Arabidopsis plants survived 300 mM and higher NaCl, whereas 100% of salt cress plants
survived and grew in all conditions including 500 mM
NaCl.
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By using flow cytometry, we have found that salt cress has a relatively
small genome of less than twice the size of the Arabidopsis genome. EST
analyses of several hundred salt cress clones revealed averages of 90%
and 95% identities between salt cress and Arabidopsis cDNA and amino
acid sequences, respectively (J.-K. Zhu, unpublished data). We are
pursuing three strategies to identify highly specialized genes that
control the extreme salt tolerance of salt cress. First, a
Transformation-competent artificial chromosome library of salt cress is
being constructed to attempt the introduction of salt tolerance genes
into Arabidopsis. Second, we have begun to search for divergent
ecotypes of salt cress in hopes of developing a sufficient DNA
polymorphism base to map natural alleles or induced gene mutations that
affect salt tolerance. Finally, because salt cress can be transformed
efficiently by dipping its inflorescences in an
Agrobacterium tumefaciens suspension (Fig.
3), we have begun to establish a
sufficiently large insertion tag collection of Thellungiella
thellungiella mutants that can be
screened for altered salt tolerance. Seeds of salt cress will soon be
available from the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center at Ohio
State University (http://www.Arabidopsis.org/abrc/;
Arabidopsis+{at}osu.edu).

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Figure 3.
Appearance of bialaphos-tolerant salt cress
seedlings transformed with vector pSKI1015 in GV3101. A, The picture
was taken 10 d after treatment with 30 mg
L 1 bialaphos. Transformation was confirmed by
PCR identification of bialaphos marker gene in DNA from randomly chosen
bialaphos-tolerant seedlings (lanes 1-18). B, PCR reaction of
bialaphos-sensitive seedlings (lanes 19-24).
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Genes involved in salt tolerance in Arabidopsis such as
SOS1, -2, and -3 may be examined in many halophyte species to
determine whether special alleles of such genes have evolved in
halophytes. However, without a good halophyte genetic model like salt
cress, we cannot access possible unique genes of halophytes that are involved in salt tolerance. In addition, salinity tolerance (and this
applies equally for drought or ozone, or UV-B, or freezing, etc.) may
in different classes and families of plants include evolutionary
"inventions" that constitute novel adaptation strategies. The
number of families, above, in which salinity tolerance, and abiotic
stress tolerance in general, prevails is biased toward the class
Caryophyllales in which only few crop species exist. Evolutionary
divergence and adaptation to an extreme lifestyle in many plants in
this class might have led to the appearance of novel gene combinations
for the support of tolerance. This possibility is supported by the
available M. crystallinum EST collection, which, when
compared against the Arabidopsis genome, seems to include a number of
transcripts that have no counterparts in this genome sequence.
Eventually, genetic information obtained from this remarkable
salt-tolerant crucifer will represent a key step in the discovery of
genes involved in tolerance of other halophytes and glycophytes alike.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
We thank Gunsu Inan and Changqing Zhang for experimental data
for salt cress and Robert Joly for photography assistance. We thank
National Science Foundation and the University of Arizona and Purdue
University Agriculture Experiment Stations for support during this work.
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FOOTNOTES |
Received August 20, 2001; returned for revision September 9, 2001; accepted September 24, 2001.
*
Corresponding author; e-mail bressan{at}hort.purdue.edu; fax
765-494-0391.
www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/doi/10.1104/pp.010752.
 |
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