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Real-Time Genetic Manipulations of the Cytokinin Pathway: A Tool for Laboratory and Field Studies

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Auxins and Cytokinins in Plant Biology

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1569))

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Abstract

Although many established tools for cytokinin (CK) pathway manipulations are well suitable for the analysis of molecular interactions, their use on a whole plant scale is often limited by the induction of severe developmental defects. To circumvent this problem, different methods were developed that allow for a more precise manipulation of the CK pathway. Here we present one of these systems, the pOp6/LhGR system for chemically inducible gene expression. This system allows regulation on a spatial, temporal, and quantitative scale and therefore provides a superior tool for analyzing the role of CKs in the interactions of plants with their environment. The pOp6/LhGR system was tested for RNAi-mediated gene silencing and heterologous gene expression and was successfully used for CK pathway manipulations in different model organisms (Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana tabaccum, Nicotiana attenuata, Citrus sinensis × C. trifoliate). Here we describe specific aspects of the screening procedure and present an experimental setup that can not only be used in the laboratory but is also applicable under field conditions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Ecology, Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Str.8, 07745, Jena, Germany

    Martin Schäfer

  2. Research & Development, KWS SAAT SE, Grimsehlstrasse 31, 37574, Einbeck, Germany

    Stefan Meldau

Authors
  1. Martin Schäfer
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  2. Stefan Meldau
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Meldau .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Deptartment of Bioinformatics, Biocenter University of Würzburg Am Hubland Würzburg Germany, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Thomas Dandekar

  2. Deptartment of Bioinformatics, Biocenter University of Würzburg Am Hubland Würzburg Germany, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany

    Muhammad Naseem

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Schäfer, M., Meldau, S. (2017). Real-Time Genetic Manipulations of the Cytokinin Pathway: A Tool for Laboratory and Field Studies. In: Dandekar, T., Naseem, M. (eds) Auxins and Cytokinins in Plant Biology. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1569. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6831-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-6831-2_10

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-6829-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-6831-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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