Tunicate is cell autonomous

--Peter A. Peterson

Tunicate (Tu) on chromosome four is a dominant gene that is typified by the growth of long glumes completely enclosing the kernels. In a survey of putative Tu mutants, a number of ears were observed with the partial loss of the Tu phenotype. This partial loss varied from a single ear row to one that covers 1/3 to 1/2 of the ear. The sharp boundaries of these sectors indicates that the genetic control of this phenotype is cell autonomous much like pericarp variegation of P-VV and unlike the non-cell autonomous expression of Tp1 (Poethig, Nature 336:82, 1988).

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