The selection and uses of plant tissue cultures resistant to toxic compounds

Beginning in 1970, in vitro selection for resistance to various toxic compounds has produced many plant cell lines useful for studying biochemical pathways, altering overall cell metabolism and growth, and regenerating plants with desirable traits. Some toxin-resistant lines have been used to elucidate the genetic and biochemical mechanisms plant cells use to adapt, including gene amplification. Other resistance traits have been used for the selection of protoplast fusion hybrids or to develop selectable markers for nuclear or plastid transformation through cloning the corresponding genes and promoters.