ARabidopsis thaliana

ARabidopsis thaliana

  • Submitted By: adsada
  • Date Submitted: 03/11/2014 6:42 PM
  • Category: Science
  • Words: 596
  • Page: 3

Mrs.Lien 2nd period



Background Research Paper


Our Research plant is the Arabidopsis. the arabidopsis is a small flowering plant related to the mustard family. The Arabidopsis plant is a very common plant in biology studies because of its small genome. Extensive maps of all five chromosomes of the Arabidopsis are available. The arabidopsis life cycle is also very short (from seed to mature plant in 6 weeks) giving it another desirable trait to study. Its scientific name is the “Arabidopsis Thaliana”.

By the year 2000, the complete genome sequence of the arabidopsis plant was known. Scientists found that there are only 5 chromosomes in the plant. They have also found that in the arabidopsis genome, there is about 25,500 genes. This plant have very little genetic information making it easy to study and map out its whole DNA sequence. Its small genome also makes it very easy to make a mutation occur. Mutations can be easily generated by irradiating the seeds or treating them with mutagenic chemicals. Once this is done and the plants grow, scientists study the effects of the mutations on the plant. The reason the mutants are created and studied on this plant is so in later experiments, they may be able to create the same mutation in a crop like corn or tomato plants, so the plants are able to grow and develop in harsh conditions or whatever that specific mutations effect is.

There are many different ways Mutants can be created. One way is through a gene gun. Gene guns were originally designed for plant transformation, but they can also be used for animals. This device injects genetic information in the cell. Gene guns blast stringy molecules (genetic information) directly into the cores of cells with a powerful puff of helium. Once the genetic information is inside the cells nucleus, it will begin to reproduce normally and make a mutant or “genetically modified” organism. Right now , most mutants are made for studying. Scientists make mutants...