The molecular genetics of circadian rhythms in Arabidopsis

While a number of physiological and biochemical processes in plants have be en found to be regulated in a circadian manner, the mechanism underlying th e circadian oscillator remains to he elucidated Advances in the identificat ion and characterization of components of the plant circadian system have b een made largely through the use of genetics in Arabidopsis thaliana. Resul ts so far indicate that the generation of rhythmicity by the Arabidopsis cl ock relies on molecular mechanisms that are similar to those described for other organisms, but that a totally different set of molecular components h as been recruited to perform these functions.