Transposable elements of maize

Abstract

The maize Enhancer transposable element can be targeted to any locus and many unstable alleles have been isolated. Normally, the result is an autonomously controlled allele leading to the mutability expression that is coordinately inherited with this locus. In this study, six alleles at the c locus (c-m) autonomously controlled by E_n, gave rise to a modified expression (original pattern of mutability, coarse is modififed to fine) that is under the control of a factor, segregating independently. This factor modifies the coarse pattern to fine by delaying the early occurring mutation events (c→C) during kernel development leading to the appearance of relatively sharp colored spots. This factor shows E_n-like activity but is limited to the pattern differentiatio of any one of the progenitor c-m alleles. These source c-m alleles are not affected by the standard E_n. A model is presented to support the hypothesis that this factor is a modified E_n with an altered mutator (M) effect and thus delays the M effect on the coarse allele. This altered E_n allele can be considered as E_n-Malt.