Functional genomics in Arabidopsis: large-scale insertional mutagenesis complements the genome sequencing project

The ultimate goal of genome research on the model flowering plant Arabidops is thaliana is the identification of all of the genes and understanding the ir functions. A major step towards this goal, the genome sequencing project , is nearing completion; however, functional studies of newly discovered ge nes have not yet kept up to this pace. Recent progress in large-scale inser tional mutagenesis opens new possibilities for functional genomics in Arabi dopsis. The number of T-DNA and transposon insertion lines from different l aboratories will soon represent insertions into most Arabidopsis genes. Vas t resources of gene knockouts are becoming available that can be subjected to different types of reverse genetics screens to deduce the functions of t he sequenced genes.