Molecular basis of the anaerobic response in plants

The response of plants to flooding is complex and involves the induction of specific gene sets. A multidisciplinary approach by several research teams has led to a reasonably good understanding of the low oxygen response, and many of the genes and proteins that are involved are known. But the factor s that are critical in determining tolerance or intolerance remain unknown. Microarray technology offers renewed hope to unravel the complex changes i n gene expression occurring in plants upon low oxygen treatment and what me chanisms are involved in the response.