Metabolism and function of polyamines in plants: recent development (new approaches)

A review is presented of the recent developments in the metabolism and function of polyamines in plants. Polyamines appear to be involved in a wide range of plant processes so their exact role is not completely understood. In this review, the metabolic pathways involved in polyamine biosynthesis and degradation are explained, along with the transport and conjugation of these compounds. The methodologies involved in the analysis of polyamine function using metabolic inhibitors and genetic and molecular approaches are described. The occurrence and distribution of polyamine-derived alkaloids are also dealt with. The direction of future research in the study of plant polyamines is indicated.