Plants are essential sources of food, fiber and renewable energy. Effective methods for manipulating plant traits have important agricultural and economic consequences. We introduce a rational approach for associating genes with plant traits by combined use of a genome-scale functional network and targeted reverse genetic screening. We present a probabilistic network (AraNet) of functional associations among 19,647 (73%) genes of the reference flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. AraNet associations have measured precision greater than literature-based protein interactions (21%) for 55% of genes, and are highly predictive for diverse biological pathways. Using AraNet, we found a 10-fold enrichment in identifying early seedling development genes. By interrogating network neighborhoods, we identify At1g80710 (now Drought sensitive 1; Drs1) and At3g05090 (now Lateral root stimulator 1; Lrs1) as novel regulators of drought sensitivity and lateral root development, respectively. AraNet (http://www.functionalnet.org/aranet/) provides a global resource for plant gene function identification and genetic dissection of plant traits.What is the best approach for identifying genes for important plant traits? Forward genetics is limited as mutations in many genes may render only moderate or weak phenotypes. Similarly, while reverse genetics allows for directed assay of gene perturbations 1 , saturated phenotyping for many plant traits is impractical. A pragmatic near-term solution is the computational identification of likely candidate genes for desired traits, allowing for focused, efficient use of reverse genetics. This solution is not unlike rational drug design in which computer-assisted and expert knowledge are combined with targeted screening for the desired drug, or in our case, trait.

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Actin is the major protein constituent of the cytoskeleton that performs wide range of cellular functions. It exists in monomeric and filamentous forms, dynamics of which is regulated by a large repertoire of actin binding proteins. However, not much was known about existence of these proteins in trypanosomatids, till the genome sequence data of three important organisms of this class, viz. Trypanosoma brucei , Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major , became available. Here, we have reviewed most of the findings reported to date on the intracellular distribution, structure and functions of these proteins and based on them, we have hypothesized some of their functions. The major findings are as follows: (1) All the three organisms encode at least a set of ten actin binding proteins (profilin, twinfilin, ADF/cofilin, CAP/srv2, CAPz, coronin, two myosins, two formins) and one isoform of actin, except that T. cruzi encodes for three formins and several myosins along with four actins. (2) Actin 1 and a few actin binding proteins (ADF/cofilin, profilin, twinfilin, coronin and myosin13 in L. donovani ; ADF/cofilin, profilin and myosin1 in T. brucei ; profilin and myosin-F in T.cruzi ) have been identified and characterized. (3) In all the three organisms, actin cytoskeleton has been shown to regulate endocytosis and intracellular trafficking. (4) Leishmania actin1 has been the most characterized protein among trypanosomatid actins. (5) This protein is localized to the cytoplasm as well as in the flagellum, nucleus and kinetoplast, and in vitro , it binds to DNA and displays scDNA relaxing and kDNA nicking activities. (6) The pure protein prefers to form bundles instead of thin filaments, and does not bind DNase1 or phalloidin. (7) Myosin13, myosin1 and myosin-F regulate endocytosis and intracellular trafficking, respectively, in Leishmania , T. brucei and T. cruzi . (8) Actin-dependent myosin13 motor is involved in dynamics and assembly of Leishmania flagellum. (9) Leishmania twinfilin localizes mostly to the nucleolus and coordinates karyokinesis by effecting splindle elongation and DNA synthesis. (10) Leishmania coronin binds and promotes actin filament formation and exists in tetrameric form rather than trimeric form, like other coronins. (11) Trypanosomatid profilins are essential for survival of all the three parasites.