Cy lines trigger mutability at two out of three Mutator-induced bz-mus alleles

Cross 1: Sh bz-mus/Sh bz-mus x sh bz/sh bz Cy

In cross 1, bz-mus alleles responded to Cy lines as follows:
 
  Response No. ears with spots/total
bz-mus4 + 8/8
bz-mus7 + 11/11
bz-mus8 - 0/11

Although these data do not conclusively demonstrate that Cy triggers mutability at bz-mus4 and bz-mus7, they do strongly support this view. If this is true, bz-mus4 and bz-mus7 are Cy responsive alleles like bz-rcy. The alternative is that, concurrent with the origin of these bz-mus, all Mu1 elements were deactivated. Under this latter model, Cy, or some other element in the Cy lines, would have to be capable of reactivating these deactivated elements. Either of these interpretations would lend further support to the relation between Cy and Mutator (see previous report).

Patrick S. Schnable and Peter A. Peterson
 
 

Please Note: Notes submitted to the Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter may be cited only with consent of the authors.

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