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Large and unexpected variation in expression and substrate specificity of allelic glycosyltransferase gens on three loci in Silene dioica

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Abstract

A pilot study with regard to the distribution and expression of isovitexin glycosylation genes in Silene dioica showed that in this species, like in S. pratensis, a large variation in expression and substrate specificty exists for these genes. From S. dioica populations from Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, W. Germany, France and England a single plant was tested for allelic variation on the isovitexin glycosylation loci g, f and gl. In the English population a new allele of the g-locus, gA, with a different substrate specificity was identified. In the plant taken from the population in Poland a new allele glR1 was identified which was hypostatic to the allele glR known from S. pratensis. In Germany, a new allele gX1 was identified which is hypostatic over gX from S. pratensis. With regard to the isovitexin-glycoside phenotype the populations from Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and England were homogeneous, whereas the populations of W. Germany and France showed variation. The mechanisms leading to this variation and their significance were discussed.

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Van Nigtevecht, G., Van Brederode, J. Large and unexpected variation in expression and substrate specificity of allelic glycosyltransferase gens on three loci in Silene dioica . Genetica 80, 67–79 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00120121

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