Summary
The recurrent back-mutation from homozygous recessive chlorina to heterozygous dominant green in leaves of variegated Mirabilis jalapa is explicable on the hypothesis of a controlling element system. The analysis of variance of mutation frequency suggests that there is polygenic control modifying the major regulatory gene, an idea which is supported by a significant parent offspring regression. There is also evidence for a change of state in the regulatory element giving rise to a new mutability pattern.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Correns, C., 1909. Vererbungsveruche mit blass (gelb) grünen und bunblättrigen Sippen bei Mirabilis jalapa, Urtica pilulifera und Lunaria annua. Z. indukt. Abstamm.-u. Vererblehre 1: 291–329.
Correns, C., 1910. Die Übergang aus dem homozygotischen in einen heterozygotischen Zustand im selben Individuum bei buntblättrigen und gestreift blühenden Mirabilis-Sippen. Ber. dt. bot. Ges. 28: 418–434.
Engels, J. M. M., W. N. M.vanKester, C. J. T.Spitters, L.Vosselman & A. C.Zeven, 1975. Investigations of the inheritance of flower variegation in Mirabilis jalapa L. 1. General introduction and 2. Inheritance of colour in uniformly coloured flowers. Euphytica 24: 1–12.
Fincham, J. R. S. & G. R. K.Sastry, 1974. Controlling elements in maize. Annu. Rev. Genet. 8: 15–50.
Grubbs, F. E., 1969. Procedure for detecting outlying observations in samples. Technometrics 11: 1–21.
Harrison, B. J., 1968. Instability at the pal locus in Antirrhinum majus. A gene controlling mutation frequency. Heredity 23: 67–72.
Harrison, B. J., 1971. Association of three highly mutable genes involving pigmentation in Antirrhinum majus. Mutation Research 12: 381–390.
Harrison, B. J. & J. R. S.Fincham, 1964. Instability at the pal locus in Antirrhinum majus. Effects of environment on frequencies of somatic and germinal mutation. Herdity 19: 237–258.
Hartley, H. O., 1950. The maximum F-ratio as a short-cut test for heterogeneity of variance. Biometrika 37: 308–312.
Kester, W. N. M.van, C. J. T.Spitters, L.Vosselman, J. M. M.Engels & A. C.Zeven, 1975. Investigations of the inheritance of flower variegation in Mirabilis jalapa L. 3. Somatic chromosome number, L. 4. Distribution of the pigments and 5. Chromatographic studies. Euphytica 24: 13–19.
Kirk, J. T. O. & R. A. E.Tilney-Bassett, 1967. The plastids: their chemistry, structure, growth and inheritance. W. H. Freeman and Company Ltd., San Francisco and London.
Kirk, J. T. O. & R. A. E.Tilney-Bassett, 1978. The plastids: their chemistry, structure, growth and inheritance, 2nd edition. Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press, Amsterdam.
McClintock, B., 1965. The control of gene action in maize. Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 18: 162–184.
Peterson, P. A., 1978. Controlling elements: the induction of mutability at the A2 and C loci in maize. In: D. B.Walden (Ed.), Maize breeding and genetics. John Wiley and Sons, New York. pp. 601–631.
Shapiro, S. S. & M. B.Wilk, 1965. An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52: 591–611.
Smith, J. D. & M. L.Kinman, 1965. The use of parent-offspring regression as an estimator of heritability. Crop Science 5: 595–596.
Sokal, R. R. & F. J.Rohlf, 1969. Biometry: the principles and practice of statistics in biological research. W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco.
Spitters, C. J. T., L.Vosselman, J. M. M.Engels, W. N. M.vanKester & A. C.Zeven, 1975. Investigations of the inheritance of flower variegation in Mirabilis jalapa L. 6. Genetic system of flower variegation and speculation about its existence. Euphytica 24: 323–332.
Starlinger, P., 1980. A reexamination of McClintock's ‘Controlling Elements’ in maize in view of recent advances in molecular biology. In: C. J.Leaver (Ed.), Genome organization and expression in plants. Plenum Press, New York and London. pp. 537–551.
Vosselman, L., J. M. M.Engels, W. N. M.vanKester, C. J. T.Spitters & A. C.Zeven, 1975. Investigation of the inheritance of flower variegation in Mirabilis jalapa L. 7. The colour of the cotyledons and the hypocotyl. Euphytica 24: 333–336.
Willis, J. C., 1973. A dictionary of the flowering plants and ferns. 8th edition, revised by H. K. Airy Shaw. University Press, Cambridge.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Delool, R.A.H., Tilney-Bassett, R.A.E. The inheritance of the mutable variegated leaf in Mirabilis jalapa L.. Euphytica 33, 169–176 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00022763
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00022763