Anitsense RNA and Mitosis

[Xie, Shaoping]

Dear Netters:

    I am a graduate student at Rutgers University. I am interested in knowing
if anyone has experience or knows any references about over- expressing
antisense RNA in Arabidopsis. 
    I am also interested in techniques and references about studying the
process of mitosis in Arabidopsis. i.e.:
   1.   Can anti-tubulin antibody be used to distinguish the different
         stages of mitosis?  
    2.  Can you visualize chromosome structure under light microscope?
    3.   What are the dimensions of the five chromosomes in Arabidopsis?
    4.  Are there any well established protocols for Arabidopsis cell    
        suspension culture?  
    5.  Is there any way to mitotically synchronize Arabidopsis cells.  
    6.  If Arabidopsis is not a good system for studying plant mitotic
         processes, what are the good plant systems?  Can I use those 
         systems to understand the mitotic processes in Arabidopsis?  
    6.  Any comments on Arabidopsis in situ hybridization (esp. within
         nucleus).

       Any information, references or experience you can provide me with       
     would be greatly appreciated.

      Shaoping Xie
      Waksman Institute 
      Rutgers University
      Piscataway, NJ 08855
      email: xie at mbcl.rutgers.edu
      Tele#: 908-932-4296
      FaX#: 908-932-5735