Plant Molecular Biology Manual (Second Edition) is an entirely new manual containing both fundamental and recently described techniques in the area of plant molecular biology. Designed for use in the research laboratory, the Plant Molecular Biology Manual presents detailed techniques in the areas of plant transformation, recombinant DNA and other nucleic acid manipulations, nuclear run-on and in vitro transcription systems, in situ hybridization and immunodetection systems, protein-nucleic acid interaction analyses, subcellular targeting of proteins in the plant cell, and gene tagging using T-DNA and transposons. This second edition contains more than 40 newly written chapters, including descriptions of subjects such as virus-mediated gene transfer, specialized Agrobacterium strains and T-DNA vectors, nuclear run-on and in vitro transcription systems, non-radioactive detection systems, characterization of transcription factors, nuclear protein targeting, and T-DNA and transposon mutagenesis, not previously described in the first edition.

It is very clear nowadays that plants offer several opportunities for basic studies, e.g. on development and embryogenesis, and that the fundamental principles laid open contribute to the development of new tools for plant breeding. Within the scope of the present publication, the editors have had to make a difficult choice from the many important subjects that have contributed to the remarkable progress of our molecular biological understanding of complex biological problems. This has resulted in review papers showing the present state of the art in genetic engineering, gene expression and its manipulation, microbe and insect interactions with plants, transposable elements and gene tagging, plant and organ development, the function and structure of the genome chloroplasts, and lipid biosynthesis. All papers have been written in such a way that they are also useful for non-experts interested in a particular field, as well as for students following courses in plant molecular biology. Besides presenting the state of the art, each paper gives some historical background to the developments in the field as well as perspectives for further basic research and applications. Because of the latter, scientists and students engaged in plant breeding will also profit from this publication.