Plant Transcription Factors: Methods and Protocols

Recent years have seen significant advancements in the development of enabling technologies that facilitate the study of Transcription Factors (TFs). TFs are pivotal in the regulation of plant development, reproduction, intercellular signaling, response to environment, cell cycle, and metabolism. Plant Transcription Factors: Methods and Protocols offers a comprehensive approach by covering the basic concepts as well as the detailed protocols of a series of commonly used tools for investigating plant TFs. From discussing select TF families in plants to presenting approaches for identifying them, methods are covered to verify the function, to identify protein interactions in which TFs are involved, and how the interactions are mediated. Increasing examples of TFs that function non-cell-autonomously are being discovered and methods to assess intercellular trafficking are also addressed. A section is devoted to examining interaction with DNA, and the volume concludes with a discussion of directed evolution to generate transcription factors that can more efficiently control desired processes. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.   Authoritative and accessible, Plant Transcription Factors: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to seasoned plant molecular biologists as well as scientists new to the field of TFs and provides many necessary methods to all scientists who are interested in exploring the functions of transcription factors.