title: Use of Arabidopsis eceriferum mutants to explore plant cuticle biosynthesis.
abstract: The plant cuticle is a waxy outer covering on plants that has a primary role in water conservation, but is also an important barrier against the entry of pathogenic microorganisms. The cuticle is made up of a tough crosslinked polymer called "cutin" and a protective wax layer that seals the plant surface. The waxy layer of the cuticle is obvious on many plants, appearing as a shiny film on the ivy leaf or as a dusty outer covering on the surface of a grape or a cabbage leaf thanks to light scattering crystals present in the wax. Because the cuticle is an essential adaptation of plants to a terrestrial environment, understanding the genes involved in plant cuticle formation has applications in both agriculture and forestry. Today, we'll show the analysis of plant cuticle mutants identified by forward and reverse genetics approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Lacey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DeBono
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jetter
authors.forename: Ljerka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kunst
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D019441:Plant Epidermis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014885:Waxes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids; D014885:Waxes; C000521:cutin