Ac induces homologous recombination at the maize P locus

Athma, P., Peterson, T. (May 1991) Ac induces homologous recombination at the maize P locus. Genetics, 128 (1). pp. 163-73. ISSN 0016-6731 (Print)0016-6731 (Linking)

Abstract

The maize P gene conditions red phlobaphene pigmentation to the pericarp and cob. Starting from two unstable P alleles which carry insertions of the transposable element Ac, we have derived 51 P null alleles; 47 of the 51 null alleles have a 17-kb deletion which removes the 4.5-kb Ac element and 12.5 kb of P sequences flanking both sides of Ac. The deletion endpoints lie within two 5.2-kb homologous direct repeats which flank the P gene. A P allele which contains the direct repeats, but does not have an Ac insertion between the direct repeats, shows very little sporophytic or gametophytic instability. The apparent frequency of sporophytic mutations was not increased when Ac was introduced in trans. Southern analysis of DNA prepared from the pericarp tissue demonstrates that the deletions can occur premeiotically, in the somatic cells during development of the pericarp. Evidence is presented that the deletions occurred by homologous recombination between the two direct repeats, and that the presence of an Ac element at the P locus is associated with the recombination/deletion. These results add another aspect to the spectrum of activities of Ac: the destabilization of flanking direct repeat sequences.

Item Type: Paper
Uncontrolled Keywords: Alleles Base Sequence Blotting, Southern Chromosome Deletion Dna *DNA Transposable Elements Molecular Sequence Data Mutation Pigmentation/*genetics *Recombination, Genetic Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid Restriction Mapping Zea mays
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > DNA expression
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > chromosomal deletions
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > chromosome
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > chromosomes, structure and function > chromosome
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > DNA expression > transposable elements
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: May 1991
Date Deposited: 14 Jan 2016 19:46
Last Modified: 14 Jan 2016 19:46
PMCID: PMC1204445
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/32030

Actions (login required)

Administrator's edit/view item Administrator's edit/view item