Allelic Interactions at The R Locus of Zea Mays

9406483步行者异常变异被定义为等位基因之间的相互作用，导致基因座上高频率的定向遗传变化。表型是不同的，这取决于父母传递等位基因。对副突变的最佳研究实例发生在玉米的R基因座。我们将在玉米中研究这一系统，并分析导致基因印记的因素和下一次通过花粉传递时强烈印记基因的因素。这项工作的目标是启动对副突变的分子分析。我们将确定是否甲基化的基因座和减少生产的色素同时发生，我们确定在R/R的结构，负责允许paramutation和印迹发生。 %二倍体生物体继承两套染色体;一套母本染色体和一套父本染色体。在大多数情况下，基因的两个拷贝将以相同或不同的方式起作用，但在少数已知的情况下，来自一个亲本的基因将被表达，而来自另一个亲本的相同基因将不被表达。这种现象被称为父母印记或paramutation。对副突变研究得最好的例子之一是玉米中一个名为R的位点。我们将对玉米中的这种现象进行分子分析，并试图确定植物所利用的机制。本科生将参与这项工作。更好地了解基因组机制将是重要的基础和应用水平。 ***

9406483 Walker Paramutation is defined as an interaction between alleles that leads to directed heritable change at a locus with high frequency. The phenotype is different depending upon which parent transmits the allele. The best studied example of paramutation occurs at the R locus of Zea mays. We will study this system in corn and analyze both the factors that cause a gene to be imprintable and the factors which signal the gene to imprint strongly when next transmitted through pollen. The goal of the work is to initiate a molecular analysis of paramutation. We will determine whether methylation of the locus and decreased production of pigment occur simultaneously and we determine the structures at R/r that are responsible for allowing paramutation and imprinting to occur. %%% Diploid organisms inherit two sets of chromosomes; a maternal set and a paternal set. In most cases, both copies of a gene will function or not in the same way but in a few known cases, the gene from one parent will be expressed and the same gene from the other parent will not be expressed. This phenomenon is known as parental imprinting or paramutation. One of the best studied examples of paramutation is in corn at a locus named R. We will initiate a molecular analysis of this phenomenon in corn and try to determine the mechanisms utilized by the plant. Undergraduate students will participate in the work. A better understanding of genomic mechanisms will be of importance both at the basic and at the applied level. ***