PARENT SESSION
Symposium #1: Linking Molecular Insight and Ecological Research.
Organized by: RB Jackson and CR Linder
Monday, August 5. 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Crystal Ballroom, TCC.
Role of transposons in the real world.
Walbot, Virginia*,1, 1 Stanford University, Stanford, CA
ABSTRACT- DNA transposons can insert and excise from genes throughout most prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. During insertion transposons typically generate a non-functional allele, while DNA repair following excision can generate many novel alleles that differ in intrinsic activity or in the distribution of product during development. Somatic variegation and allelic diversity may be important mechanisms for plants in interaction with herbivores, pollinators, and pathogens. Using the example of maize, where DNA transposons create much of the allelic diversity in the species, we will discuss how novelty generated during plant development occurs and how selection acts in the gametophytes to cull lethal alleles. The mechanisms hosts use to suppress transposon activities and the natural triggers activating transposons will be discussed.
KEY WORDS: transposable element, Zea mays, allelic variation, somatic variegation and chimeras