scholarly journals Transposable Elements in Maize the?Activator-Dissociation (Ac-Ds) System

1984 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
E A Howard ◽  
E S Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Transposable Elements ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Chromosomal Location ◽  
Lower Eukaryotes ◽  
Element System ◽  
Controlling Element ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Higher Eukaryotes ◽  
Living Organisms

Although unstable mutants in maize (Zea mays) were described as early as 1914 (Emerson 1914, 1917, 1929; Rhoades 1936, 1938), the first explanation of such mutants in terms of transposable DNA was provided by Barbara McClintock's elegant series of experiments on the activator-dissociation (Ac-Ds) controlling-element system of maize (McClintock 1947,1948, 1951). McClintock demonstrated genetically thatAc and Ds were short regions of DNA which could move (transpose) from one chromosomal location to another. McClintock also established that Ds could transpose only in response to the action of Ac (i.e. both elements were required in the same nucleus for Ds transposition), and that Ac could transpose autonomously (i.e. in the absence of Ds). A total of eight transposable element systems have been recognized in maize, the best characterized of which are Ac(Mp)Ds, Spm and Robertson's mutator (reviewed in Fedoroff 1983; Nevers et al. 1984). All but Robertson's mutator occur as two-element systems, similar to Ac-Ds. Transposable elements have now been shown to be widespread in living organisms-occurring in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes as well as other higher eukaryotes, including animals.

Genetic and molecular analysis of the Enhancer (En) transposable element system of Zea mays

1985 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Pereira ◽  
Zsuzsanna Schwarz-Sommer ◽  
Alfons Gierl ◽  
Isolde Bertram ◽  
Peter A. Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Molecular Analysis ◽  
Element System

scholarly journals The Hermes transposable element from the house fly, Musca domestica, is a short inverted repeat-type element of the hobo, Ac, and Tam3 (hAT) element family

1994 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
William D. Warren ◽  
Peter W. Atkinson ◽  
David A. O'Brochta
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Musca Domestica ◽  
House Fly ◽  
Inverse Pcr ◽  
Sequence Motif ◽  
Terminal Sequence ◽  
Repeat Type ◽  
Genetic Tool ◽  
Element System

SummaryThe genome of the house fly, Musca domestica, contains an active transposable element system, called Hermes. Using PCR and inverse PCR we amplified and sequenced overlapping segments of several Hermes elements and from these data we have constructed a 2749 bp consensus Hermes DNA sequence. Hermes termini are composed of 17 bp imperfect inverted repeats that are almost identical to the inverted terminal repeats of the hobo element of Drosophila melanogaster. Full length Hermes elements contain a single long ORF capable of encoding a protein of 612 amino acids which is 55% identical to the amino acid sequence of the hobo transposase. Comparison of the ends of the Hermes and hobo elements to those of the Ac element of Zea mays, and the Tam3 element of Antirrhinum majus, as well as several other plant and insect elements, revealed a conserved terminal sequence motif. Thus Hermes is clearly a member of the hobo, Ac and Tam3 (hAT) transposable element family, other members of which include the Tagl element from Arabidopsis thaliana and the Bg element from Zea mays. The evolution of this class of transposable elements and the potential utility of Hermes as a genetic tool in M. domestica and related species are discussed.

scholarly journals Cloning of the Mutator transposable element MuA2, a putative regulator of somatic mutability of the a1-Mum2 allele in maize.

Genetics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 845-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
M M Qin ◽  
D S Robertson ◽  
A H Ellingboe
Keyword(s):  
Transposable Elements ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Copy Number ◽  
Inverted Repeats ◽  
Terminal Inverted Repeats ◽  
Somatic Instability ◽  
Mutator Activity ◽  
Element System ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Abstract The identification of the autonomous or transposase-encoding element of the Mutator (Mu) transposable element system of maize is necessary to the characterization of the system. We reported previously that a transcript homologous to the internal region of the MuA element is associated with activity of the Mutator system. We describe here the cloning of another Mu element, designated MuA2, that cosegregates with Mutator activity as assayed by somatic instability of the a1-Mum2 allele. The MuA2 element has features typical of the transposable elements of the Mutator family, including the 210-bp terminal inverted repeats. Several lines of evidence suggest that MuA2 is an autonomous or transposase-encoding element of the Mu family: (1) MuA2 cosegregates with a genetically defined element that regulates somatic mutability of the a1-Mum2 allele; (2) MuA2 is hypomethylated while most other MuA2-hybridizing sequences in the genome are extensively methylated; (3) the increase of the copy number of MuA2 is concomitant with the increase of regulator elements; (4) MuA2-like elements are found in Mutator lines but not in non-Mutator inbreds. We propose that autonomous or transposase-encoding elements of the Mu family may be structurally conserved and MuA2-like.

Structure and Function of the En/Spm Transposable Element System of Zea Mays: Identification of the Suppressor Component of En

1988 ◽  
pp. 115-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfons Gierl ◽  
Heinrich Cuypers ◽  
Stephanie Lütticke ◽  
Andy Pereira ◽  
Zsuzsanna Schwarz-Sommer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Element System ◽  
And Function

scholarly journals Identification of a regulatory transposon that controls the Mutator transposable element system in maize.

Genetics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 261-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Chomet ◽  
D Lisch ◽  
K J Hardeman ◽  
V L Chandler ◽  
M Freeling
Keyword(s):  
Transposable Elements ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Restriction Fragment ◽  
Distinct Element ◽  
Single Locus ◽  
Inverted Repeats ◽  
Terminal Inverted Repeats ◽  
Mutator Activity ◽  
Element System ◽  
Multiple Copies

Abstract The Mutator system of maize consists of more than eight different classes of transposable elements each of which can be found in multiple copies. All Mu elements share the approximately 220-bp terminal inverted repeats, whereas each distinct element class is defined by its unique internal sequences. The regulation of instability of this system has been difficult to elucidate due to its multigenic inheritance. Here we present genetic experiments which demonstrate that there is a single locus, MuR1, which can regulate the transposition of Mu1 elements. We describe the cloning of members of a novel class of Mu elements, MuR, and demonstrate that a member of the class is the regulator of Mutator activity, MuR1. This conclusion is based on several criteria: MuR1 activity and a MuR-homologous restriction fragment cosegregate; when MuR1 undergoes a duplicative transposition, an additional MuR restriction fragment is observed, and MuR1 activity and the cosegregating MuR fragment are simultaneously lost within clonal somatic sectors. In addition, the MuR element hybridizes to transcripts in plants with Mutator activity. Our genetic experiments demonstrate that the MuR1 transposon is necessary to specify Mutator activity in our lines.

scholarly journals Two maize genes are each targeted predominantly by distinct classes of Mu elements.

Genetics ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
pp. 1141-1150
Author(s):  
K J Hardeman ◽  
V L Chandler
Keyword(s):  
Transposable Elements ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Mutation Frequency ◽  
Element System

Abstract The Mutator transposable element system of maize has been used to isolate mutations at many different genes. Six different classes of Mu transposable elements have been identified. An important question is whether particular classes of Mu elements insert into different genes at equivalent frequencies. To begin to address this question, we used a small number of closely related Mutator plants to generate multiple independent mutations at two different genes. The overall mutation frequency was similar for the two genes. We then determined what types of Mu elements inserted into the genes. We found that each of the genes was preferentially targeted by a different class of Mu element, even when the two genes were mutated in the same plant. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed. These results have important implications for cloning Mu-tagged genes as other genes may also be resistant or susceptible to the insertion of particular classes of Mu elements.

scholarly journals The defective En-I102 element encodes a product reducing the mutability of the En/Spm transposable element system of Zea mays

1988 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 2953-2960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinrich Cuypers ◽  
Sudhansu Dash ◽  
Peter A. Peterson ◽  
Heinz Saedler ◽  
Alfons Gierl
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Element System

scholarly journals Molecular analysis of the En/Spm transposable element system of Zea mays

1986 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 835-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy Pereira ◽  
Heinrich Cuypers ◽  
Alfons Gierl ◽  
Zsuzsanna Schwarz-Sommer ◽  
Heinz Saedler
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Transposable Element ◽  
Molecular Analysis ◽  
Element System
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