Knowledge Center Catalog

Locus dependence of the paramutant R phenotype in maize

Brink, R.A.

Locus dependence of the paramutant R phenotype in maize - United Kingdom : Oxford University Press, 1960. - Printed

Peer-review: Yes - Open Access: Yes|http://science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=MASTER&ISSN=1943-2631

The R' gene in maize conditions anthocyanin pigmentation in the aleurone Tlayer of the endosperm and in certain vegetative tissues of the plant. R' gametes produced by heterozygotes containing either the stippled (R") or the marbled ( Rmb) allele determine conspicuously reduced aleurone pigmentation and more weakly pigmented seedlings and anthers relative to the standard R' phenotype (BRINK 1956; BRINK and WEYERS 1957; BRINK and MIKULA 1958). All, or nearly all, of the R' gametes from these heterozygotes are so affected, and the change in R' expression is heritable through successive generations. The term paramutation has been applied to these regularly occurring, directed, genetic changes (BRINK 1958a). Data upon which it was concluded that the basis of paramutation is a change at, or near, the R locus, as opposed to an alteration in an autonomous cytoplasmic element affecting Rr expression, have been published previously by BRINK ( 1956, 1958a,b). The purpose of this paper is to present decisive evidence that the basis of paramutation is indeed chromosomal and that the immediate R region is involved. The new evidence shows that independently distinguishable R alleles of paramutant and nonparamutant origins, respectively, retain their identity in a common cytoplasm. Direct demonstration of R-locus dependence of the paramutant R phenotype was made possible by the use of a series of RQ mutants from standard Rr which were unchanged in aleurone pigment-producing action and in sensitivity to paramutation in heterozygotes with stippled, but which differed from Rr in giving green, rather than red, seedlings.


Text in English

0016-6731 1943-2631 (Online)

https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/45.9.1297


Phenotypes
Maize
Chromosomes
Cross-breeding

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