Function of Genetic Material: From Gene Structure to Gene Function-Approaches to Understanding the Action of Genes in Higher Plants

A systematic molecular analysis of the structure and function of plant genomes will be essential for future developments in plant science and its applied field: agriculture and food processing. This research area, called genomics, is presently of so much interest that in numerous countries special programs are offered, e.g., in Germany the project Genome Analysis in the Biological System Plant (GABI). Genomics can be divided into (1) structural genomics, which means mapping and sequencing (the initial phase of genome analysis) the endpoint of which would be the identification of the complete DNA sequence (Ordon et al., this Vol.), and (2) functional genomics, where the biological function of genes is uncovered. While the first part is still descriptive, though on the most basic level of life, functional analysis integrates available biochemical and physiological knowledge and forms the bridge to the in vivo state.