Insertion of a CACTA transposable element leads to somatic variegation and germinal instability of p1 gene expression in the absence of element excision

• Main Author: Peterson, P.A., Iowa State University, Ames, IA (USA)
• Format: Book
• Language: English; Serbian
• Published: Beograd (Serbia) Drustvo geneticara Srbije 2007
• Subjects: GENE; GENES; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_3214; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_50132; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_5014; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_8504; INTRON; INTRONES; INTRONS; MUTACION; MUTATION; ZEA MAYS
• ISBN: 9788687109001; 8687109008

Here we report the molecular analysis of a new p1 mutant allele, p1-vv85, that showed both somatic and germinal instability. A novel CACTA transposom-like element was isolated from the second intron of the p1 gene in both the mutant p1-vv85 and its stable pigmented revertant allele. Transcriptional analysis indicated that transcription of the p1 gene in p1-vv85 terminated prematurely in the vinicity of the CACTA insertion site. The results are consistent with a model in which binding of a suppressor-like factor to the CACTA insertion element interferes with transcription elongation. We propose that the reversion of p1-vv85 to a functional P1-rr state does not result from transposable element excision, but rather from relief of suppression which is correlated with methylation of the CACTA insertion element.