GENES OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA INVOLVED IN WAX METABOLISM

The aerial surfaces of land plants are covered with cuticle that acts as a barrier providing protection against water loss, pathogen invasion and other environmental aggressions. Besides physical and chemical barriers, such as a waxy cuticle, plant defense mechanisms also involve a coordinated activation of cellular responses to limit damage. The eceriferum (cer) mutants of Arabidopsis define multiple genes required for various steps in cuticular wax biosynthesis, transport and regulation of lipid-related pathways. Although the basic biochemistry of wax production has been elucidated, very little is known about its regulation and its contribution to the natural immunity. This review presents recently cloned wax biosynthetic genes and discusses regulatory aspects of wax biosynthesis.