RUI: Structural Analysis of Paramutation at the R Locus of Zea Mays

这项工作将涉及玉米R-mb复合体的分子克隆和鉴定。复合体作为一个整体的组织将通过产生R-mb复合体的衍生物来决定，这些衍生物通过不均匀杂交失去了一个或多个基因。复合体的每个基因的数量、身份和表达将被确定。将确定参与顺致突变性的复合体的特定区域，并将对不同的R地理等位基因集合进行更有限的结构表征。本科学生将通过所描述的项目工作来介绍基础生物学研究。表观遗传是一种不以DNA序列为基础的核遗传，在所有真核生物王国中都得到了认可。为了解决为什么某些基因受表观遗传调控而其他基因不受表观遗传调控的问题，必须确定表观遗传调控基因的结构/序列。玉米R参数化系统是分析这一现象的理想系统，因为重要的成分已经定位在R位点本身，并且有一组不同表型的等位基因可用。对可参数化R-r复合物的详细结构分析表明，参数化过程只涉及200kb中约两个千碱基的小区域。* * *

9631967 Walker This work will involve the molecular cloning and characterization of the R-mb complex of maize. The organization of the complex as a whole will be determined through the production of derivatives of the R-mb complex that have lost one or more genes through unequal crossing over. The number, identity and expression of each individual gene of the complex will be determined. The specific regions of the complex involved in paramutagenicity will be determined and a more limited structural characterization of a diverse collection of R geographic alleles will be made. Undergraduate students will be introduced to basic biological research by working on the described projects. %%% Epigenetic inheritance, nuclear inheritance that is not based on DNA sequence, has been recognized in all of the eukaryotic kingdoms. To approach the question of why certain genes are subject to epigenetic regulation while others are not, the structures/sequences of epigenetically regulated genes must be determined. The R paramutation system of corn is ideal for an analysis of this phenomenon because the important components have been localized to the R locus itself and there are a diverse set of alleles with different phenotypes available. Detailed structural analysis of the paramutable R-r complex suggest that a small region of only about two kilobases out of 200 kb is involved in the paramutation process. ***