Variegation patterns caused by excision of the maize transposable element Dissociation (Ds) are autonomously regulated by allele-specific Activator (Ac) elements and are not due to trans-acting modifier genes (original) (raw)
Abstract
The Ac elements present in the unstable wxm7 and wx-m9 alleles of maize trigger different patterns of Ds excision in trans. To determine whether this differential regulation is a feature of the Ac alleles themselves or is mediated by genetically distinct factors, maize plants heterozygous for the wx-m7 and wx-m9 alleles were crossed to tester strains homozygous for Ds reporter alleles. Kernels showing the variegation pattern characteristic for the Ac elements carried in the wx-m7 and wx-m9 alleles were found to be present in the ratios expected from the genetic constitution of the strains. The aleurone variegation caused by excision of the Ds reporter element and the endosperm variegation caused by excision of Ac from the wx-m7 and wx-m9 alleles themselves segregated with the original wx-m alleles. In addition, stable Wx and wx derivatives of wx-m9 that have lost Ac no longer exert any trans effect on the wx-m7 allele (and vice versa). Therefore it is concluded that the observed variegation patterns are autonomously determined by specific trans effects of the particular Ac element.
Access this article
Subscribe and save
- Get 10 units per month
- Download Article/Chapter or eBook
- 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
- Cancel anytime Subscribe now
Buy Now
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.
Instant access to the full article PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
- Brawn RI, Brink RA (1956) Effect of heterozygosity for variegated pericarp on mutation to red and to light variegated. Maize Genet Coop Newslett 30:139
Google Scholar - Brink RA, Nilan RA (1952) The relation between light variegated and medium variegated pericarp in maize. Genetics 73:519–544
Google Scholar - Chen SM, Coe EH (1977) Control of anthocyanin synthesis by the C locus in maize. Biochem Genet 15:333–346
Google Scholar - Chomet PS, Wessler S, Dellaporta SL (1987) Inactivation of the maize transposable element Activator (Ac) is associated with its DNA methylation. EMBO J 6:295–302
Google Scholar - Cone KC, Burr FA, Burr B (1986) Molecular analysis of the maize anthocyanin regulatory locus Cl. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:9631–9635
Google Scholar - Dooner HK, Week E, Adams S, Ralston E, Favreau M, English J (1985) A molecular genetic analysis of insertions in the bronze locus of maize. Mol Gen Genet 200:240–246
Google Scholar - Dooner HK, English J, Ralston E, Week E (1986) A single genetic unit specifies two transposition functions in the maize element Activator. Science 234:210–211
Google Scholar - Döring HP, Nelsen-Salz B, Garber R, Tillmann E (1989) Double Ds elements are involved in specific chromosome breakage. Mol Gen Genet 219:299–305
Google Scholar - Emerson RA (1929) The frequency of somatic mutation in variegated pericarp of maize. Genetics 14:488–511
Google Scholar - Heinlein M, Starlinger P (1991) Variegation patterns caused by transposable element Ac. Maydica 36:309–316
Google Scholar - Kermicle JL (1978) Imprinting of gene action in maize endosperm. In: Walden DB (ed) Maize breeding and genetics. John Wiley, New York, pp 357–371
Google Scholar - Klösgen RB, Gierl A, Schwartz-Sommer Z, Saedler H (1986) Molecular analysis of the waxy locus of Zea mays. Mol Gen Genet 203:237–244
Google Scholar - Kunze R, Starlinger P, Schwartz D (1988) DNA methylation of the maize transposable element Ac interferes with its transcription. Mol Gen Genet 214:325–327
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1952) Mutable loci in maize. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearbook 51:212–219
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1953) Mutations in maize. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearbook 52:227–237
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1956) Intranuclear systems controlling gene action and mutation. Brookhaven Symp Biol 8:58–74
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1962) Topographical relations between elements of control systems in maize. Carnegnie Inst Wash Yearbook 61:448–461
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1963) Further studies of gene-control systems in maize. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearbook 62:486–493
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1964) Aspects of gene regulation in maize. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearbook 63:592–602
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1965) Components of action of the regulators Spm and Ac. Carnegie Inst Wash Yearbook 64:527–536
Google Scholar - McClintock B (1978) Development of the maize endosperm as revealed by clones. In: Subtelny S, Sussex IM (eds) The clonal basis of development. Academic Press, New York, pp 217–237
Google Scholar - Mottinger JP (1973) Unstable mutants of Bronze induced by premeiotic X-ray treatment in maize. Theor Appl Genet 43:190–195
Google Scholar - Müller-Neumann M, Yoder JI, Starlinger PO (1984) The DNA sequence of the transposable element Ac of Zea mays L. Mol Gen Genet 198:19–24
Google Scholar - Paz-Arez J, Ghosal D, Saedler H (1990) Molecular analysis of the C1-J allele from Zea mays: a dominant mutant of the regulatory C1 locus. EMBO J 9:315–321
Google Scholar - Pohlman RF, Fedoroff NV, Messing J (1984) The nucleotide sequence of the maize controlling element Activator. Cell 37:635–643
Google Scholar - Schwartz D (1984) Analysis of the Ac transposable element dosage effect in maize. Mol Gen Genet 196:81–84
Google Scholar - Schwartz D (1986) Analysis of the autonomous wx-m7 transposable element mutant of maize. Maydica 31:123–129
Google Scholar - Schwartz D, Dennis E (1986) Transposase activity of the Ac controlling element in maize is regulated by its degree of methylation. Mol Gen Genet 205:476–482
Google Scholar - Schwartz D, Echt CS (1982) The effect of Ac dosage on the production of multiple forms of Wx protein by the wx-m9 controlling element mutation in maize. Mol Gen Genet 187:410–413
Google Scholar - Scofield SR, English JJ, Jones JDG (1993) High level expression of the Activator transposable gene inhibits the excision of Dissociation in tobacco cotyledons. Cell 75:507–517
Google Scholar
Author information
Author notes
- Manfred Heinlein
Present address: The Scripps Research Institute, Division of Plant Biology-MRC7, 10666 North Torrey Pines Road, 92037, La Jolla, CA, USA
Authors and Affiliations
- Institut für Genetik, University of Cologne, Weyertal 121, 50931, Köln, Germany
Manfred Heinlein
Authors
- Manfred Heinlein
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
Additional information
Communicated by H. Saedler M. Heinlein
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heinlein, M. Variegation patterns caused by excision of the maize transposable element Dissociation (Ds) are autonomously regulated by allele-specific Activator (Ac) elements and are not due to _trans_-acting modifier genes.Molec. Gen. Genet. 246, 1–9 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290127
- Received: 02 May 1994
- Accepted: 14 June 1994
- Issue Date: January 1995
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290127