by a sector of
the new
phenotlpe
residing
within
the tissue
of the original
phenotype.
The size of
the sector depends on the
number
of divisions
in the
lineage
giving
rise to it, so the size of the
area of the
new
phenotype
is determined by the
timing of the change
in
genotype.
The earlier
its
occurrence
in the cell lineage, the
greater
the
number of descendants and thus the size of
patch
in the mature tissue.
This is
seen
most vividly in
the
variation in kemel color, when
patches
of one
color appear
within another color.
Insertion of a controlling element
may affect
the activity
of adjacent
genes.
Deletions, dupli-
cations,
inversions, and translocations
all occur
at the sites where controlling elements
are
pres-
ent. Chromosome
breakage is a common con-
sequence of
the
presence
of some elements.
A
unique
feature of
the maize
system
is that the
activities
of the controlling elements
are regu-
lated during
development. The elements trans-
pose
and
promote genetic
rearrangements at
characteristic
times and frequencies during
plant
development.
The characteristic behavior of controlling
elements
in maize is typified by the Ds ele-
ment, which
was originally identified by
its
ability
to
provide
a site
for chromosome break-
age.
The consequences are
illustrated in
r:i,-
.::.:i
.
. :.
Consider a heterozygote
in which
Ds lies on
one homolog between the
cen-
tromere
and a series of dominant
markers. The
other
homolog
lacks Ds and has recessive
mark-
ers
(C
bz,
andwx). Breakage at
Ds
generates
an
acentric
fragment carrying the dominant
markers. As a
result
of
its lack of a centromere,
this fragment
is lost at
mitosis. Thus the descen-
dant
cells
have only the recessive
markers car-
ried by the
intact chromosome.
This
gives
the
type
of situation
whose results are depicted
in
Figure
2I.22.
:'
:.!.:.i'ri
,
,.,
shows that breakage
at Ds leads
to the formation
of two unusual chromosomes.
These are
generated
byjoining
the broken ends
of the
products
of
replication. One is a U-shaped
acentric
fragment consisting of
the
joined
sister
chromatids
for the region distal to
Ds
(on
the
left
as drawn
in the figure). The other
is a U-shaped
dicentric
chromosome
comprising
the sister
chromatids
proximal
to Ds
(on
its right
in the
figure). The
latter structure leads to
the classic
breakage-fusion-bridge
cycle illustrated
in
the
figure.
Follow
the fate of the dicentric
chromo-
some
when
it attempts to segregate
on the
mitotic spindle.
Each
of
its two centromeres
pulls
toward an
opposite
pole.
The tension
: li-,iriiit.
l.
.,i
:
Clonal
anatysis
identifies
a
group
of cetls
descended
from a singte
ancestor
in
which a transposition-
mediated event
altered
the
phenotype. Timing ofthe
event
during devetopment
is indicated
by
the
number of
ceLts; tis-
sue specificity
of the
event
may be
indicated
by the
[oca-
tion ofthe cetts.
ii'i,i.iiii:
..:
ii I
A break
at
a controtling
element
causes
loss of an
acentric
fragmenU
if the
fragment
carries
the
dominant
markers
of a
heterozygote,
jts
loss
changes
the
phenotype.
The effects
of
the
dominant
markers,
CI,
Bz,
and
Wx, can be
vjsuatized
by the
cotor
of the
celts
or by
appropriate
staining.
21.11
Controttinq
Elements
in
Maize Cause
Breakage
and
Rearrangements
539
Break
in one chromosome
causes
loss of
dominant
allele
oooc
ta
It
't't
tl
tl
tl
ti
oooooooo
iiiiiiii
oooooooo
oooooooo
t/
Cells of original
genotype
r
| /
display
dominant
phenotype
V
Clone
descended
from mutant
disPlaYs
recessive
Phenotype
Centromere
Cell
PhenotYPe
@
I
ereak at
Ds
Y
Acentric
f ragment