Abstract
Transposable elements (TE) are natural constituents of plant genomes. However, their presence only becomes apparent if they become dislodged from their resident positions in the genome and transpore into another gene, thereby inducing a mutation. Such TE-induced mutations are somatically unstable because they revert to wild type and hence reconstitute the expression of the mutated gene. The frequent somatic excision of the TE results in a variegated phenotype. Since this instability is inherited in a Mendelian manner the variegated phenotype is nuclear determined. By this criterion TE have been shown to occur in more than 30 species belonging to different families and genera. Many questions arise when dealing with TE: their structure and functions, and the biological significance of the activity of elements in the differentiation of a normal plant or in the evolution of plant genes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chen, C. H., Freeling, M. and Merckelbach, A. (1986) Maydica,XXXI:93–108.
Coe, E. H., and Neuffer, M. G. (1977) In:Corn and Corn Improvement (Sprague, G. F., Ed.), American Society of Agronomy, Enc., Madison, WI, USA, pp. 11–223.
Doyle, J. J., Schuler, M. A., Godette, W. D., Zenger, V. and Beachy, R. N. (1986)J. Biol. Chem. 261:9118–9238.
Hehl, R., Sommer, H. and Saedler, H. (1987)Mol. Gen. Genetics 207:47–53.
McClintock, B. (1962)Carnegie Inst. Wash. Year Book 61:448–461.
McClintock, B. (1965)Brookhaven Symp. Biol. 18:162–184.
Nevers, P., Shepherd, N. and Saedler, H. (1986)Advances in Botanical Research 12:103–203.
Novick, E. A. and Peterson, P. A. (1981)Mol. Gen. Genet. 183:367–377.
Pereira, A., Cuypers, H., Gierl, A., Schwarz-Sommer, Zs. and Saedler, H. (1986)EMBO J. 5:835–841.
Peterson, P. A. (1970)Theor. Appl. Gen. 40:367–377.
Pohlmann, R. F., Fedoroff, N. and Messing, J. (1984)Cell 37:635–643.
Reddy, L. V. and Peterson, P. A. (1985)Mol. Gen. Genet. 200:211–219.
Reddy, L. V., Britsch, L., Salamini, F., Saedler, H. and Rohde, W. (1987).Plant Science 52:7–13.
Rohde, W., Barzen, E., Marocco, A., Saedler, H. and Salamini, F. (1986)Barley Genetics, V.
Sachs, M. M., Dennis, E. S., Gerlach, W. L. and Peacock, W. J. (1986)Genetics 113:449–467.
Saedler, H. and Nevers, P. (1985)EMBO J. 4:585–590.
Schwarz-Sommer, Zs., Gierl, A., Berndtgen, R. and Saedler, H. (1985a)EMBO J. 4:2439–2443.
Schwarz-Sommer, Zs., Gierl, A., Cuypers, H., Peterson, P. A. and Saedler, H. (1985b)EMBO J. 4:591–597.
Schwarz-Sommer, Zs., Shepherd, N., Tacke, E., Gierl, A., Rohde, W., Leclercq, L., Matted, M., Berndtgen, R., Peterson, P. A. and Saedler, H. (1987)EMBO J. 6:287–294.
Schwarz-Sommer, Zs. (1987) In:Structure and Function of the Eukaryotic Chromosomes (ed: W. Henning), Springer Verlag, Heidelberg.
Werr, W., Frommer, W. B., Maas, C. and Starlinger, P. (1985)EMBO J. 4:1373–1380.
Wesseler, S. R., Baran, G., Varagona, M. and Dellaporta, S. L. (1986)EMBO J. 5:2427–2432.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saedler, H. Plant transposable elements: Their role in evolution. Biosci Rep 8, 585–588 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01117338
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01117338