Arabidopsis thaliana accessions : a tool for biochemical and phylogentical studies

Arabidopsis thaliana since a few decades is used as a model for biological and plant genetic research. Natural variation of this species is related to its geographical range which covers different climate zones and habitats. The ability to occupy such a wide area by Arabidopsis is possible due to its stress tolerance and adaptability. Arabidopsis accessions exhibit phenotypic and genotypic variation, which is a result of adaptation to local environmental conditions. During development, plants are subjected to various stress factors. Plants show a spectrum of reactions, processes and phenomena that determine their survival in these adverse conditions. The response of plants to stress involves signal detection and transmission. These reactions are different and depend on the stressor, its intensity, plant species and life strategy. It is assumed that the populations of the same species from different geographical regions acclimated to the stress conditions develop a set of alleles, which allow them to grow and reproduce. Therefore, the study of natural variation in response to abiotic stress among Arabidopsis thaliana accessions allows to find key genes or alleles, and thus the mechanisms by which plants cope with adverse physical and chemical conditions. This paper presents an overview of recent findings, tools and research directions used in the study of natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. Additionally, we explain why accessions can be used in the phylogenetic analyses and to study demography and migration of Arabidopsis thaliana