Functional Genomics in Medicago truncatula: Methods and Protocols

This volume discusses popular methods to achieve different types of mutagenesis and forward/reverse genetics in Medicago truncatula. Several studies on genetic control of developmental and metabolic processes in this model legume are also described. The chapters in this book cover topics such as Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING), Fast Neutron Bombardment (FNB), Tnt1 insertional mutagenesis, Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS), stable inactivation of microRNAs in roots, gene editing by CRISPR-Cas9, etc. This book also contains reviews on the specific use of these techniques in functional studies on the genetic control of seed, leaf, root, nodule, floral and fruit development in M. truncatula. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters contain the kind of detailed description and implementation advice needed to promote success in the lab.

Cutting-edge and thorough, Functional Genomics in Medicago truncatula: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning more about this developing field.

Dr. Luis A. Cañas is a Staff Scientist of The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) at the Institute for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology (IBMCP) of Valencia. While working in the Plant Molecular Biology Dep. at the University of Georgia (Athens, USA), he evaluated the use of floral-specific monoclonal antibodies as molecular markers to study floral organ development. On his return to Spain, he was firstly working at the Biological Research Center (CIB, CSIC) in Madrid and finally he became staff scientist of the CSIC at the IBMCP. Work in his lab is focused in the study of the MADS-box regulatory genes involved in floral organ development in legumes, using Medicago truncatula as model system and integrating molecular evolution approaches to determine their mode of evolution after duplication.

Dr. José Pío Beltrán is Professor of The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) at the Institute for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology (IBMCP) of which he wasthe founder. While working at the Max Planck Institute für Züchtungsforschung (Köln, Germany) he isolated the gene Deficiens from Antirrhinum majus, the first floral organ identity homeotic gene to be discovered. He has been investigating for more than thirty years on floral and fruit development in legumes, especially in Medicago truncatula. He has been the President of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB) as well as the President of the European Plant Science Organization (EPSO).