Highlights of meiotic genes in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Meiosis is a fascinating and complex phenomenon and, despite its central role in sexual plant 
reproduction, little is known on the molecular mechanisms involved in this process. We review the 
progress made in recent years using Arabidopsis thaliana mutants for isolating meiotic genes. In 
particular, emphasis is given on the description of mutants affecting either the regular commitment to 
meiosis, or the mechanisms of synapsis, recombination, and cytokinesis. We believe that the isolation 
of genes affecting some crucial meiotic events may represent the first step towards the practical use of 
meiotic genes in plant breeding. The introduction of deviations in the meiotic pathway into sexual 
crops will have important implications for the exploitation of apomixis and sexual polyploidization.