The WiscDsLox T-DNA collection: an arabidopsis community resource generated by using an improved high-throughput T-DNA sequencing pipeline

We have developed a new community resource, called the WiscDsLox collection, for performing reverse-genetic analysis in arabidopsis. This resource is composed of 10,459 T-DNA lines generated using the Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia. The flanking sequence tag for each T-DNA insertion has been deposited in public databases, and seed for each line is currently available from the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. The pDsLox vector used to create this new population contains a Ds transposon and Cre/Lox recombination sites. Each WiscDsLox line therefore has the potential to serve as a launch-pad for performing local saturation mutagenesis by mobilization of the Ds element. In addition, Cre-Lox recombination between the T-DNA and a transposed Ds element should enable targeted deletion of specific genomic regions. We generated the WiscDsLox collection using an improved high-throughput pipeline that streamlines analysis of large numbers of independent Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Hyenh. lines. In this paper we describe the details of this novel method and also provide potential users of WiscDsLox T-DNA lines with useful background information about this collection. Experiments to characterize the utility of the Ds transposon and Cre/Lox elements present in the WiscDsLox lines are in progress and will be reported in the future.