An embryogenic cell line of maize from A188 (Minnesota) contains Mu 1-like elements

• Published in: Plant molecular biology Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 273 - 279
• Main Authors: MASTERSON, R. V, BIAGI, K, WHEELER, J. G, STADLER, J, MORRIS, D. W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 1988
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Classical and quantitative genetics. Population genetics. Molecular genetics; Classical genetics, quantitative genetics, hybrids; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Generalities. Genetics. Plant material; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Pteridophyta, spermatophyta; Vegetals; Zea mays; Cell culture; Monocotyledones; Vegetals; Zea mays; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Transposable element; Cereal crop
• ISSN: 0167-4412; 1573-5028

The maize inbred line A188 is popularly used for the production of embryogenic cell lines. A188, maintained at the University of Minnesota, was found upon molecular analysis to contain 2 to 4 copies of a DNA sequence very similar in structure to transposable Mu 1 elements, which have been implicated in Robertson's Mutator system. These Mu 1-like elements are in the same chromosomal locations in sibling plants and in A188 cell cultures derived from them. This suggests that the elements are in an inactive state and do not undergo transposition. However, the authors have observed that they are not modified at the target sites for certain restriction endonucleases.