Molecular Biology Research Progress in the Biosynthesis and Genetic Manipulation of Plant Cuticular Wax

The cuticle covers the aerial organs of land plants.Epicuticular wax,deposited on the surface,constitutes a barrier between the plant and its environment.Wax biosynthesis requires the coordinated activity of a large number of enzymes with genetic manipulation.The recent progress in the mutant screening,cloning,functional characterization and expression regulation of genes involved in wax metablizm was reviewed and the existing problems were discussed.