Genetic control of a membrane component and zein deposition in maize endosperm

✍ Scribed by Galante, E. ;Vitale, A. ;Manzocchi, L. ;Soave, C. ;Salamini, F.

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 713 KB
• Volume: 192
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0026-8925
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00392168

✦ Synopsis

An association is reported between an albuminlike protein (b-70) and the semidominant locusfluory-2 (172) which reduces the level of zein polypeptides in the maize endosperm. The protein b-70 is present at low level in wildtype endosperms and derepressed infl2 endosperms. A correlation between the doses of the t2 allele and the b-70 level has been found. Moreover a concomitant loss of the regulatory role offl2 on zein level and on b-70 overproduction is evident when t2 is genetically associated with 02 and 07, two recessive alleles of other zein regulatory loci. Protein b-70 is located on the membrane of the protein body where zein polypeptides accumulate. The existence of a functional relationship between this protein and the zein-secretory system is suggested or, as an alternative, that b-70 is a type of storage protein different from zeins, repressed in normal endosperms and derepressed by the t2 allele.