Abstract
The R locus of maize is one of several genes that condition the red and purple anthocyanin pigments throughout the body of the plant and seed. Many alleles of the R locus have been described, each determining a different pattern of pigment distribution in the plant. Genetic studies have lead to the proposal that R is a complex locus containing several similar but functionally distinct modules that regulate anthocyanin expression in specific organs or tissues. We report on the isolation of a segment of DNA from the R locus using the controlling element Activator (Ac)as a transposon tag. Molecular evidence is presented confirming the complex organization of this regulatory locus. The identification of cross-hybridizing restriction fragments corresponding to the tissue-specific R components suggests that these elements, while functionally divergent in tissue-specificity, have retained significant DNA homology and may have evolved from a common ancesteral component at R.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Behrens, U., N. Fedoroff, A. Laird, M. Muller-Neumann, P. Starlinger, and J. Yoder, 1984, Cloning of the Zea mays controlling element Ac from the wx-m7 allele, Mol. Gen. Genet. 194: 346–347.
Berman, M.L., L.W. Enquist,, and T.J. Silhavy, 1982, Advanced Bacterial Genetics, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. City.
Brink, R.A. and E. Williams, 1973, Mutable R-navajo alleles of cyclic origin in maize, Genetics 73: 273–296.
Chomet, P.S., S. Wessler, and S.L. Dellaporta, 1986, Inactivation of the maize transposable element Activator is associated with its DNA modification. EMBO J.
Dooner, H.K., 1983, Coordinate genetic regulation of flavonoid biosynthetic enzymes in maize, Mol Gen. Genet. 189: 136–141.
Dononer, H.K., and J.L. Kermicle, 1976, Displaced and tandem duplications in the long arm of chromosome 10 in maize, Genetics 82: 309–322.
Donner, H.K., and J.L. Kermicle, 1974, Reconstitution of the R-r compound allele in maize, Genetics 78: 691–701.
Dooner, H.K., and J.L. Kermicle, 1971, Structure of the R-r tandem duplication in maize, Genetics 67: 427–436.
Dretzen, G., M. Bellard, P. Sassone-Corsi, and P. Chambon, 1981, A reliable method for the recovery of DNA fragments from agarose and acrylamide gels, Anal Biochem. 112: 295.
Fedoroff, N.V., D.B. Furtek,, and O.E. Nelson, Jr., 1984, Cloning of the bronze locus in maize by a simple and generalizable procedure using the transposable controlling element Ac, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.. U.S.A. 81: 3825–3829.
Fedoroff, N., S. Wessler, and M. Shure, 1983, Isolation of the transposable maize controlling elements Ac and Ds, Cell 35: 235–242.
Greenblatt, I.M., 1984, A chromosomal replication pattern deduced from pericarp phenotypes resulting from movements of the transposable element, Modulator, in maize, Genetics 108: 471–485.
Greenblatt, I.M., and R.A.Brink, 1963 Transpositions of Modulator in maize into divided and undivided chromosome segments, Nature 197: 412–413.
Greenblatt, I.M., and R.A. Brink, 1962, Twin mutations in medium variegated pericarp maize, Genetics 47: 489–501.
Hohn, B., 1979 In vitro packaging of X and cosmid DNA, Methods Enzvmol. 68: 299.
Holmes, D.S., and M. Quigley, 1981, A rapid boiling method for the preparation of bacterial plasmids. Anal. Biochem. 119: 193.
Kermicle, J.L., 1985, Alternative tests of allelism. in: “Plant Genetic,” UCLA Symp. on Molecular and Cellular Biology, vol. 35, M. Freeling ed, Alan R. Liss, Inc., City, pp. 491–507.
Kermicle, J.L., 1980, Probing the component structure of a mize gene with transposable elements, Science 108: 1457–1459.
Kermicle, J.L., 1970, Somatic and meiotic instability of R-strippled, an aleurone spotting factor in maize, Genetics 64: 247–258.
Kermicle, J.L., and J.D. Axtell, 1981, Modification of chlorophyll striping by the R region, Maydica 26: 185–197.
Lechelt, C., A. Laird, and P. Starlinger, 1986, Cloning DNA from the P locus, Maize Genet. Coop. Newsletter 60: 40.
Maniatis, T., E.F. Fritsch,, and J. Sambrook, 1982, “Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual,” Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, City.
Martin, B., A. Gierl, P. Peterson, and H. Saedler, 1986 Molecular cloning of the A2 locus, Maize Genet. Coop. Newsletter 60: 41–42.
McClelland, M., 1982 The effect of sequence specific DNA methylation on restriction endonuclease cleavage, Nucleic Acid Res. 9: 5859–5866.
McClintock, B., 1954, Mutations in maize and chromosomal aberrations in Neurospora, Carnegie Inst. Washington Year Book 53: 254–260.
McClintock, B., 1948, Mutable loci in maize, Carnegie Inst. Washington Year Book 47: 155–169.
McWhirter, K.S., and R.A. Brink,. 1962, Continuous variation in level of parmutation at the R locus in maize, Genetics 47: 1053–1074.
Muller-Neumann, M., J. Yonder, and P. Starlinger, 1985, The sequence of the Ac element of Zea mays, Mol, Gen. Genet. (In press).
O’Reilly, C.O., N.S. Shepard, A. Pereira, Zs. Schwarz-Sommer, I. Bertram, D.S. Robertson, P. A. Peterson, and H. Saedler, 1985, Molecular cloning of the al locus of Zea mays using the transposable elements En and Spm, EMBO J. 4: 887–882.
Paz-Ares, J., U. Wienand, P.A. Peterson, and H. Saedler, 1986, Molecular cloning of the c locus of Zea mays, EMBO J. 5: 829–834.
Pohlman, R., N.V. Fedoroff, and J. Messing, 1984, The nucleotide sequence of the maize controlling element Activator, Cell 37: 635–643.
Rigby, P.W.J., M. Dieckmann, C. Rhodes, and P. Berg, 1977, Labeling deozxyridonucleic acid to high specific activity in vitro by nick translation with DNA polymerase I., J. Mol. Biol. 113, 237–251.
Shure, M., S. Wessler, and N. Fedoroff, 1983, Molecular identification and isolation of the Waxy locus in maize, Cell 35: 225–233.
Southern, E., 1975, Detection of specific sequences among DNA fragments separated by gel electrophoresis, J. Mol. Biol. 98: 503.
Stadler, L.J., 1951, Spontaneous mutation in maize. Cold Spring Harbor Svmp. Quant. Biol. 16: 49–63.
Styles, E.D., O. Ceska, and -K-T.Seah, 1973, Developmental differences in action ofi? and B alleles in maize, Can. J. Genet. Cytol. 15: 59–72.
Theres, K., and P. Starlinger, 1986, Molecular cloning of bz2-m, Maize Genet. Coop. Newsletter 60: 40.
Van Schaik, N.W., and R.A. Brink, 1959, Transpositions of Modulator, a component of the variegated pericarp allele in maize, Genetics 44: 725–738.
Wienand, U., U.Weydemann, U. Niesbach-Klosgen, P. Peterson, and H. Saedler, 1986 Molecular analysis of the c2 locus, Maize Genet. Coop. Newsletter 60: 42.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1988 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dellaporta, S.L., Greenblatt, I., Kermicle, J.L., Hicks, J.B., Wessler, S.R. (1988). Molecular Cloning of the Maize R-nj Allele by Transposon Tagging with Ac . In: Gustafson, J.P., Appels, R. (eds) Chromosome Structure and Function. Stadler Genetics Symposia Series. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1037-2_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1037-2_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8304-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-1037-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive