Plant parasitic nematodes appear to rely on very specific interactions with root cells to
establish a feeding site. To understand these interactions in detail, it is of advantage to
achieve a basic understanding of root development. Arabidopsis thaliana is a suitable
plant to investigate root development genetically and molecularly, and it can act as a host
plant for plant parasitic nematodes. The anatomy and the ontogeny of the Arabidopsis
root can be described in considerable detail. Despite the rigorous lineage relationships in
the root, laser ablation experiments demonstrate the presence of continuous information
in the root meristem. This information guides cells to differentiate appropriately,
according to position. A large spectrum of promoter traps that are specifically expressed
in roots are examined in detail, and put into four categories. These expression patterns
can be complex, and a relation between the tagged gene and cell type is not always
obvious. As a complementary approach, genetic analysis, using specific mutants, is
now beginning to unravel key genes that are involved in setting up the pattern of cell
differentiation in the root. Combining promoter trap analyses with mutant analysis may
create novel strategies for nematode control
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