Functional Analysis by Protein Biochemistry

To date a number of cereal genomes are fully sequenced and more are near completion. The information within these genomes will be of most use to scientists when every gene has been functionally characterized leading to the complete annotation of these genomes. This chapter describes how functional characterization of plant proteins can be achieved via in vitro or in vivo methods. The first section of this chapter describes the use of Escherichia coli as a host for expression of plant genes, followed by purification and in vitro characterization of the resultant enzyme. The second section of this chapter details the methods involved in transient gene expression in Zea mays leaf protoplasts for in vivo functional characterization of protein localization.