Recent advances in polyamine research

Polyamines are low molecular mass polycations found in all living organisms. In plants, they have been implicated in a wide range of biological processes, including growth, development and stress responses. Recently, several key genes of the polyamine biosynthesis pathways have been cloned and shown to be: developmentally regulated. Experiments in which the synthesis of polyamines has been pertusbed have clearly shown that these compounds are essential for normal growth and development. These findings have been further supported by recent genetic analyses of polyamine synthesis mutants a Arabidopsis. The research has revealed a much more detailed level of understanding than hitherto, opening up new avenues of investigation for the future.