Optimizing the Use of the Transposon in Corn

在作物改良中，迫切需要一种主要依靠表型来分离植物基因的方法。在这种策略中使用植物转座子的想法很有吸引力，但其有效实施需要对可能影响转座子频率的因素进行详细的研究。已用于玉米基因分离的玉米转座子Ac（激活因子）已知在烟草中转座子，但现有的转座子活性监测系统由于缺乏任何可以在整个植物中轻松标记的表型而受到限制。这在评估基于转座子诱变的基因分离系统的有效性方面提出了问题。琼斯博士设计了一种有效的视觉检测方法，通过对链霉素抗性基因的体细胞切除进行评分，来检测交流电转位。他建议对dicots中可能影响转座子频率的遗传等因素进行进一步的研究，以完善植物转座子技术，使其能够有效地用于该植物群体的基因分离。这种转座子技术的发展将使用其他方法难以分离的植物基因得以分离。

There is a definite need in crop improvement for a method to isolate plant genes which relies primarily on phenotypes. The idea of using plant transposons in such a strategy is attractive but its efficient implementation awaits a detailed investigation into factors which might influence transposition frequency. The corn transposon Ac (Activator), which has been used in gene isolation in corn, is known to transpose in tobacco, but existing systems for monitoring the activity of the transposon are limited by the absence of any phenotype which can be easily scored in whole plants. This poses problems in assessing the effectiveness of systems for gene isolation based on transposon mutagenesis. Dr. Jones has engineered a useful visual assay for Ac transposition is seedlings based on scoring somatic excisions from a streptomycin resistance gene. He proposes to carry out further studies on genetic and other factors which might influence transposition frequency in dicots in order to refine plant transposon technology so that it can effectively be used for gene isolation in this group of plants. The development of this transposon technology will enable the isolation of plant genes which could not easily be isolated by other means.