A survey of active Uq elements in maize inbred lines by the use of c-ruq tester

The c-ruq tester was used to probe active Uq element in 11 inbred lines and 3 waxy isogenic lines. These lines are Hy(Wx), Hy (wx), M14(Wx), M14(wx), B14(Wx), B14(wx), B37, B73, B78, B80, B70, C103, C123, and 187-2. They were known to be homozygous for the recessive c allele. Examination of the progeny kernels of these inbred lines crossed with the c-ruq tester has shown the following results: 1) All these inbred lines lack an active Uq; 2) The c-ruq allele does not "slip" at all in any of the 34,631 colorless kernels derived from 158 reciprocal crosses. This is in contrast to the situation with a-ruq that generally gives rise to 1-spot or sector of spotting at a frequency less than 1% (Peterson and Friedemann, Maydica 28:213-249, 1983; Pan and Peterson, MNL 60:5-6, 1986). This suggests that the occasional Uq activity observed in these two studies might originate from the ruq receptor element at the A locus.

Yong-Bao Pan 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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