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Submitted to: Latin American Review of Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 1/1/2000 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The development of DNA-microarray technology has made it possible to study biological processes at the genome level. Using DNA microarrays, the transcriptional responses of plants to the application of herbicides can be monitored and recorded, and the resulting patterns utilized to predict the usefulness of new plant extracts and phytochemicals for agricultural use. This paper briefly presents the rationale for the use of DNA microarrays in the discovery and development of natural pesticides. Technical Abstract: Plants and other organisms respond to environmental stimuli by modifying the expression of large sets of genes. Until recently, changes in gene expression could only be studied one or a few genes at a time. Microarray technology now offers the possibility to study global patterns of gene expression, measured quantitatively at the transcriptional level. This article briefly explores the potential for the use of DNA microarrays in the discovery and development of much needed natural pesticides and reviews recent results of studies of gene expression in plants having relevance to this endeavor. |
