Extensive phenotypic variation among allelic T-DNA inserts in Arabidopsis thaliana

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 9; p. e44981
• Main Authors: Valentine, Megan E, Wolyniak, Michael J, Rutter, Matthew T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 13-09-2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agrobacterium; Alleles; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - anatomy & histology; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis thaliana; Biology; Chromosomal Position Effects - genetics; Crop production; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Exons; Flowers & plants; Genetic Loci - genetics; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Genomes; Genomics; Germination; Insertion; Inserts; Life history; Molecular biology; Mutagenesis; Mutagenesis, Insertional - genetics; Mutants; Mutation; Phenotype; Phenotypic variations; Plant sciences; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Seeds; T-DNA; Trends; United States > US; South Carolina
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044981

T-DNA insertion mutants are a tool used widely in Arabidopsis thaliana to disrupt gene function. We phenotyped multiple homozygous T-DNA A. thaliana mutants at each of two loci (AT1G11060 and AT4G00210). We measured life history traits, including germination, size at reproduction and fruit production. Allelic T-DNA lines differed for most traits at AT1G11060 but not at AT4G00210. However, insertions in exons differed from other insertion positions in AT4G00210 but not in AT1G11060. We found evidence for additional insertions in approximately half of the lines, but found few phenotypic consequences. In general, our results suggest that a cautious interpretation of T-DNA phenotypes is warranted.