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Title: Somatic variegation and germinal mutability reflect the position of transposable element dissociation within the maize R gene

Abstract

The R gene regulates the timing and tissue-specificity of anthocyanin deposition during maize development. The Ac/Ds system of transposable elements was used to induce insertional mutants of the R-sc:124 allele during two cycles of mutagenesis. Of 43 unstable, spotted-aleurone mutants generated, 42 contain inserts of the Ds6 transposable element differing only in the position and orientation of the element. The remaining mutant, r-sc;ml, contained an insert of a Ds element of the approximate size of the Ds1 transposable element. The patterns of somatic variegation of these mutants, resulting from excision of Ds, define a spectrum of phenotypes ranging from sparse to dense variegation. The sparsely variegated mutants produce many germinal revertants and few stable null derivatives. Molecular analysis shows that the sparsely variegated alleles are caused by Ds6 insertions in protein coding regions of R-sc:124 whereas the densely variegated mutants result from insertions in introns or in flanking regions of the gene. The excision rate of Ds6 from R, estimated as the proportion of R genomic DNA restriction fragments lacking the element, was uniform regardless of position, orientation or whether the element was inserted in R-sc:124 or another R allele. The excision rate was greater, however, for the mutable allelesmore » involving the Ds element from r-sc:m1. These data indicate that, although the excision rates are uniform for a given Ds element, the somatic and germinal mutability patterns of alleles associated with that element vary widely and depend primarily on the position of the transposable element within coding or noncoding regions of the gene.« less

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5673162
DOE Contract Number:  
FG02-86ER13539
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Genetics; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 135:1; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-6731
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; MAIZE; MUTATIONS; TRANSPOSONS; DISSOCIATION; PIGMENTS; CEREALS; GRAMINEAE; LILIOPSIDA; MAGNOLIOPHYTA; PLANTS; 550400* - Genetics

Citation Formats

Alleman, M, and Kermicle, J L. Somatic variegation and germinal mutability reflect the position of transposable element dissociation within the maize R gene. United States: N. p., 1993. Web.
Alleman, M, & Kermicle, J L. Somatic variegation and germinal mutability reflect the position of transposable element dissociation within the maize R gene. United States.
Alleman, M, and Kermicle, J L. 1993. "Somatic variegation and germinal mutability reflect the position of transposable element dissociation within the maize R gene". United States.
@article{osti_5673162,
title = {Somatic variegation and germinal mutability reflect the position of transposable element dissociation within the maize R gene},
author = {Alleman, M and Kermicle, J L},
abstractNote = {The R gene regulates the timing and tissue-specificity of anthocyanin deposition during maize development. The Ac/Ds system of transposable elements was used to induce insertional mutants of the R-sc:124 allele during two cycles of mutagenesis. Of 43 unstable, spotted-aleurone mutants generated, 42 contain inserts of the Ds6 transposable element differing only in the position and orientation of the element. The remaining mutant, r-sc;ml, contained an insert of a Ds element of the approximate size of the Ds1 transposable element. The patterns of somatic variegation of these mutants, resulting from excision of Ds, define a spectrum of phenotypes ranging from sparse to dense variegation. The sparsely variegated mutants produce many germinal revertants and few stable null derivatives. Molecular analysis shows that the sparsely variegated alleles are caused by Ds6 insertions in protein coding regions of R-sc:124 whereas the densely variegated mutants result from insertions in introns or in flanking regions of the gene. The excision rate of Ds6 from R, estimated as the proportion of R genomic DNA restriction fragments lacking the element, was uniform regardless of position, orientation or whether the element was inserted in R-sc:124 or another R allele. The excision rate was greater, however, for the mutable alleles involving the Ds element from r-sc:m1. These data indicate that, although the excision rates are uniform for a given Ds element, the somatic and germinal mutability patterns of alleles associated with that element vary widely and depend primarily on the position of the transposable element within coding or noncoding regions of the gene.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5673162}, journal = {Genetics; (United States)},
issn = {0016-6731},
number = ,
volume = 135:1,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993},
month = {Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993}
}