A Fertile Field: Maize Genetics '93

Maize Genetics 2003.

The genetics of maize evolution.

Maize and its closest wild relatives, the teosintes, differ strikingly in the morphology of their female inflorescences or ears. Despite their divergent morphologies, several studies indicate that some varieties of teosinte are cytologically indistinguishable from maize and capable of forming fully fertile hybrids with maize. Molecular analyses identified one form of teosinte (Zea mays ssp. par...

Transformation of Maize Cells and Regeneration of Fertile Transgenic Plants.

A reproducible system for the generation of fertile, transgenic maize plants has been developed. Cells from embryogenic maize suspension cultures were transformed with the bacterial gene bar using microprojectile bombardment. Transformed calli were selected from the suspension cultures using the herbicide bialaphos. Integration of bar and activity of the enzyme phosphinothricin acetyltransferas...

RNA editing in plant organelles: a fertile field.

In 1989, three groups simultaneously and independently discovered RNA editing in the mitochondria of angiosperms (flowering plants; refs. 1-3). Two years later, H. Kossel and colleagues reported the same type of editing in angiosperm chloroplasts (4). In both cases, multiple site-specific changes from C to U occur in RNAs transcribed from the organellar DNA. These changes take place predominant...

The Genetics of Vivipary in Maize.

REMATURE germinating seeds have been observed in various plants, including P lemons, oranges, melons, wheat and rye. However, in none of these is there any good indication that the premature germination is the result of changes in the germ plasm. Only in maize has the genetic control of this phenomenon been clearly demonstrated. Such mutants have been described by MANGELSDORF (1923,1926, and 19...