A Set of Transgenic Maize Lines for Localized Mutagenesis Based on the Ac-Ds Transposon System

玉米是当今美国最重要的农作物。因此，深入了解玉米基因的功能是非常必要的。这些知识可以从玉米功能基因组学项目中获得，该项目使用转座子来扰乱基因功能。在目前的玉米功能基因组学项目中，正在开发一种遗传资源，它将使研究人员能够将突变方法定义基因功能的能力与DNA测序确定基因组成的能力结合起来。该资源包括一组基于Ac/DS家族转座子的综合品系，由于它们的转座子模式，对于有兴趣通过转座子插入饱和玉米基因组特定区域的科学家来说将是有用的。将鉴定一组随机产生的370个带有活跃转座子‘发射台’的转基因株系，我们预计将从其中鉴定出124个在基因组中等间距分布的转基因株系。在这一组中，玉米基因组中的大多数基因将位于启动平台的7厘米以内，因此在定位转座子突变实验中具有现实的靶点。转座子已经被设计成极大地促进了与转座元件相邻的DNA序列的分离。选择转座的简单遗传方案和分离相邻序列的容易，应该会使这种资源特别用户友好。这些品系将通过位于伊利诺伊州厄巴纳的玉米遗传学库存中心免费提供给研究社区。它们将大约每年存入一次。更广泛的影响研究人员对玉米基因组进行突变的能力将使基因发现成为可能，并为玉米研究界提供动力。

Maize is the most important American crop today. Therefore, a thorough knowledge of the function of maize genes is highly desirable. That knowledge can be gained from maize functional genomics projects that use transposons to disrupt gene function. In the present maize functional genomics project, a genetic resource is being developed that will enable investigators to combine the power of the mutational approach to define gene function with that of DNA sequencing to define a gene's make-up. The resource consists of a comprehensive set of lines based on transposons of the Ac/Ds family, which because of their transposition pattern, will be useful to scientists interested in saturating specific regions of the maize genome with transposon insertions. A set of 370 randomly generated transgenic lines with active transposon 'launch pads' will be identified, from which we expect to identify 124 transgenic lines that are equally spaced across the genome. In this set most genes in the maize genome will be within 7 cM of a launcing platform and, therefore realistic targets in localized transposon mutagenesis experiments. The transposons have been engineered to greatly facilitate the isolation of DNA sequences adjacent to transposed elements. The simple genetic scheme to select for transpositions and the ease in isolation of the adjacent sequences should make this resource particularly user-friendly. The lines will be made freely available to the research community through the Maize Genetics Stock Center in Urbana, IL. They will be deposited approximately once a year. Broader ImpactsThe ability for researchers to do mutagenesis across the maize genome will enable gene discovery and empower the corn research community.