Regulation of Gene Expression in Plants

Except for one area of gene expression control, plant research has significantly fallen behind studies in insects and vertebrates. The advances made in animal gene expression control have benefited plant research, as we continue to find that much of the machinery and mechanisms controlling gene expression have been preserved in all eukaryotes. Through comparison, we have learned that certain aspects of gene regulation are shared by plants and animals, i.e. both contain introns separating the coding regions of most genes and both utilize similar machinery to process the introns to form mature mRNAs. Yet there are some interesting differences in gene structure and regulation between plants and animals. For example, unlike animal genes, plant genes are generally much smaller with fewer and smaller introns.

Regulation of Gene Expression in Plants presents some of the most recent, novel and fascinating examples of transcriptional and posttranscriptional control of gene expression in plants and, where appropriate, provides comparison to notable examples of animal gene regulation.

Advance reviews:

"The detailed information provided in each chapter provides the reader with a wealth of basic information on transcription and mechanisms regulating gene expression, including the roles of 3’ end mRNA processing, small RNAs, and mRNA transport and turnover on controlling expression of genes. Whether, it is the chapter on multiple transcript initiation or the one on alternative splicing or the final chapter on mRNA transport and turnover, I found the in-depth presentation of the current state of knowledge as well as the interpretation of the role and significance of these various mechanisms and processes in regulating expression of genes to be superbly handled and skillfully presented. The writing style is sleek, concise, and to the point. It makes reading about this complicated subject both thought-provoking and stimulating."
- Professor Schuyler S. Korban, Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA

"This book presents a comprehensive understanding of the regulation of gene expression in plants vis-a-vis structure and processing of mRNAs. It describes STATE-OF-THE-ART research techniques / tools and the underlying principles / concepts to study regulation of gene expression. It is written a logical and easy-to-understand manner and will be a valuable resource as a reference and / or text book for researchers and graduate students interested in regulation of gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level."
- Dr. Rajeev Arora, Department of Horticulture, Iowa State University, AMes, IA, USA

Dr. Carole L. Bassett is a molecular biologist at the USDA – ARS’s Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, West Virginia. Her research emphasizes the identification and characterization of different mechanisms controlling gene expression in plants. She has worked on flowering in the Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil L.) and in fruit quality and development in peach (Prunus persica L. [Batsch]). Her current area of interest is in understanding how genes respond to cold and drought stress in peach and apple (Malus X domestica) and using this information to reduce the impact of adverse environmental conditions on orchard production and fruit quality.