Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A maize cryptic Ac-homologous sequence derived from an Activator transposable element does not transpose

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Molecular and General Genetics MGG Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Sequences sharing homology to the transposable element Activator (Ac) are prevalent in the maize genome. A cryptic Ac-like DNA, cAc-11, was isolated from the maize inbred line 4Co63 and sequenced. Cryptic Ac-11 has over 90% homology to known Ac sequences and contains an 11 by inverted terminal repeat flanked by an 8 by target site duplication, which are characteristics of Ac and Dissociation (Ds) transposable elements. Unlike the active Ac element, which encodes a transposase, the corresponding sequence in cAc-11 has no significant open reading frame. A 44 by tandem repeat was found at one end of cAc-11, which might be a result of aberrant transposition. The sequence data suggest that cAc-11 may represent a remnant of an Ac or a Ds element. Sequences homologous to cAc-11 can be detected in many maize inbred lines. In contrast to canonical Ac elements, cAc-11 DNA in the maize genome is hypermethylated and does not transpose even in the presence of an active Ac element.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baker B, Schell J, Lörz H, Fedoroff N (1986) Transposition of maize controlling element Activator in tobacco. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:4844–4848

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baker B, Coupland G, Fedoroff N, Starlinger P, Schell J (1987) Phenotypic assay for excision of the maize controlling element Ac in tobacco. EMBO J 6:1547–1554

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks JA, Masson P, Fedoroff N (1988) Molecular mechanisms in the developmental regulation of the maize Suppressor-mutator transposable element. Genes Dev 2:1364–1380

    Google Scholar 

  • Berg DE, Howe MM (1989) Mobile DNA. American Society for Microbiology, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Bianchi MW, Viotti A (1988) DNA methylation and tissue-specific transcription of the storage protein genes of maize. Plant Mol Biol 11:203–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Burr B, Burr FA, Thompson KH, Albertson MC, Stuber CW (1988) Gene mapping with recombinant inbreds in maize. Genetics 118:519–526

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chandler VL, Walbot V (1986) DNA modification of a maize transposable element correlates with loss of activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:1767–1771

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandler VL, Rivin C, Walbot V (1986) Stable non-mutator stocks of maize have sequences homologous to the Mul transposable element. Genetics 114:1007–1021

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandler VL, Talbert LE, Raymond F (1988) Sequence, genomic distribution and DNA modification of a Mul element from non-mutator maize stocks. Genetics 119:951–958

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Greenblatt IM, Dellaporta SL (1987) Transposition of Ac from the P locus of maize into unreplicated chromosomal sites. Genetics 117:109–116

    Google Scholar 

  • Chomet PS, Wessler S, Dellaporta SL (1987) Inactivation of the maize transposable element Activator is associated with its DNA modification. EMBO J 6:295–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Coupland G, Baker B, Schell J, Starlinger P (1988) Characterization of the maize transposable element Ac by internal deletions. EMBO J 7:3653–3659

    Google Scholar 

  • Dellaporta SL, Chomet PS (1985) The activation of maize controlling elements. In: Hohn B, Dennis ES (eds) Genetic flux in plants. Springer-Verlag, Wien, pp 169–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Döring HP, Tillmann E, Starlinger P (1984) DNA sequence of the maize transposable element Dissociation. Nature 307:127–130

    Google Scholar 

  • Fedoroff N, Wessler S, Shure M (1983) Isolation of the transposable maize controlling elements Ac and Ds. Cell 35:235–242

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Feinberg AP, Vogelstein B (1984) A technique for radiolabeling DNA restriction fragments to high specific activity. Anal Biochem 132:6–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Flavell R (1982) In: Genome evolution. Dover GA, Flavell RB (eds) Academic Press, London, pp 301–323

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta M, Shepherd NS, Bertram I, Saedler H (1984) Repetitive sequences and their organization on genomic clones of Zea mays. EMBO J 3:133–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Hehl R, Baker B (1989) Induced transposition of Ds by a stable Ac in crosses of transgenic tobacco plants. Mol Gen Genet 217:53–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones JG, Carland FM, Maliga P, Dooner HK (1989) Visual detection of transposition of the maize element Activator in tobacco seedlings. Science 244:204–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein AS, Clancy M, Paje-Manalo L, Furtek DB, Hannah LC, Nelson OE (1988) The mutation bronze-mutable 4 Derivative 6856 in maize is caused by the insertion of a novel 6.7-kilobase pair transposon in the untranslated leader region of the bronze-1 gene. Genetics 120:779–790

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunze R, Starlinger P (1989) The putative transposase of transposable element Ac from Zea mays L. interacts with subterminal sequences of Ac. EMBO J 8:3177–3185

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunze R, Stochaj U, Laufs J, Starlinger P (1987) Transcription of transposable element Activator of Zea mays L. EMBO J 6:1555–1563

    Google Scholar 

  • Kunze R, Starlinger P, Schwartz D (1988) DNA methylation of the maize transposable element Ac interferes with its transcription. Mol Gen Genet 214:325–327

    Google Scholar 

  • Maniatis T, Fritsch EF, Sambrook J (1982) Molecular cloning: A laboratory manual. Cold Spring Harbor Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1946) Maize genetics. Carnegie Inst Washington Year Book 45:176–186

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1948) Mutable loci in maize. Carnegie Inst Washington Year Book 47:155–169

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1978) Mechanisms that rapidly reorganize the genome. Stadler Symp 10:25–47

    Google Scholar 

  • McClintock B (1984) The significance of responses of the genome to challenge. Science 226:792–801

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller-Neumann M, Yoder JI, Starlinger P (1984) The DNA sequence of the transposable element Ac of Zea mays L. Mol Gen Genet 198:9–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Oste C (1988) Polymerase chain reaction. Biotechniques 6:162–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Peschke VM, Phillips RL, Gengenbach BG (1987) Discovery of transposable element activity among progeny of tissue culturederived maize plants. Science 238:804–807

    Google Scholar 

  • Pohlman R, Fedoroff NV, Messing J (1984) The nucleotide sequence of the maize controlling element Activator. Cell 37:635–644

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins TP, Carpenter R, Coen ES (1989) A chromosome rearrangement suggests that donor and recipient sites are associated during Tam3 transposition in Antirrhinum majus. EMBO J. 8:5–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs MM, Peacock WJ, Dennis ES, Gerlach WL (1983) Maize Ac/Ds controlling element — a molecular viewpoint. Maydica 28:289–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger F, Nicklen S, Coulson AR (1977) DNA sequencing with chain terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 74:5463–5467

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz D (1989) Gene-controlled cytosine demethylation in the promoter region of the Ac transposable element in maize. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA86:2789–2793

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz D, Dennis ES (1986) Transposase activity of the Ac controlling element in maize is regulated by its degree of methylation. Mol Gen Genet 205:476–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz-Sommer Z, Gierl A, Cuypers H, Peterson PA, Saedler H (1985) Plant transposable elements generate the DNA sequence diversity needed in evolution. EMBO J 4:591–596

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutton WD, Gerlach WL, Schwartz D, Peacock WJ (1984) Molecular analysis of Ds controlling element mutations at the adh1 locus of maize. Science 223:1265–1268

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan

    Jun-Yi Len, Y. Henry Sun & Jychian Chen

  2. Institute of Life Science, Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan

    Jun-Yi Len & Yiu-Kay Lai

Authors
  1. Jun-Yi Len
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Y. Henry Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yiu-Kay Lai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jychian Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by H. Saedler

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Len, JY., Henry Sun, Y., Lai, YK. et al. A maize cryptic Ac-homologous sequence derived from an Activator transposable element does not transpose. Molec. Gen. Genet. 233, 411–418 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00265438

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00265438

Key words

Search

Navigation