Disruption of imprinting by mutator transposon insertions in the 5' proximal regions of the Zea mays Mez1 locus.

ABSTRACT: Imprinting is a form of epigenetic gene regulation in which alleles are differentially regulated according to the parent of origin. The Mez1 gene in maize is imprinted such that the maternal allele is expressed in the endosperm while the paternal allele is not expressed. Three novel Mez1 alleles containing Mutator transposon insertions within the promoter were identified. These mez1-mu alleles do not affect vegetative expression levels or result in morphological phenotypes. However, these alleles can disrupt imprinted expression of Mez1. Maternal inheritance of the mez-m1 or mez1-m4 alleles results in activation of the normally silenced paternal allele of Mez1. Paternal inheritance of the mez1-m2 or mez1-m4 alleles can also result in a loss of silencing of the paternal Mez1 allele. The pat

SUBMITTER: Haun WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2666494 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature