ABSTRACT
14Over the course of the past 40 years, Arabidopsis thaliana has risen through the ranks to become one of the best studied and most popular research models. In addition to features like small size, self-pollination, and short life cycle which facilitate its maintenance and propagation, Arabidopsis has been an unprecedented model for both classical and molecular genetics. The stock centers, including the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center, have been essential in supporting an increased range and number of tools and resources developed by the research community. Here we present a short research history of this model, followed by its taxonomy and the significance of its relationship with other closely related species. We describe best practices for the acquisition, maintenance, and distribution of Arabidopsis and other species from the Brassicaceae family. We provide a few examples of successful translation of Arabidopsis research and describe the power of this model for genomic and functional genomics studies. Finally, we present our vision for collection improvements tailored to continue supporting cutting-edge Arabidopsis research that enables the next-generation of plant biotechnology.
