Plant development going MADS

It has been known for a decade that the plant MADS genes are important regu lators of meristem and floral organ identity. The MADS family in Arabidopsi s consists of more than 80 members and, until recently, the function of the majority of these genes was unknown. With the enhanced ability to generate loss-of-function mutants and over-expression lines, the function of the MA DS gene family members is beginning to be elucidated. Recent progress demon strates that MADS genes in Arabidopsis are important regulators not only of meristem and floral organ identity but also of flowering timing and cell-t ype specification in floral organs.