Bacterial plant oncogenes: Therol genes' saga

Therol genes are part of the T-DNA which is transferred byAgrobacterium rhizogenes in plant cells, causing neoplastic growth and differentiation. Each of these bacterial oncogenes deeply influences plant development and is finely regulated once transferred into the plant host. Both from the study of the effects and biochemical function of therol genes and from the analysis of their regulation, important insight in plant development can be derived. Some of the most intriguing aspects of past, current and future research on this gene system are highlighted and discussed.