玉米副突变及其分子机制

Paramutation and its molecular mechanisms in maize

副突变是一种表观遗传现象,通过同源基因间染色质状态信息的转移建立新的基因表达状态,这种表达状态能够通过减数分裂而传递到后代。玉米是研究副突变及其机制的模式植物,目前已经发现有5个基因位点能够发生副突变。对玉米b1副突变系统的广泛研究发现DNA重复序列、siRNA途径、DNA结合蛋白等在副突变状态的建立和维持过程中可能起着重要的作用。

Paramutation is an epigenetic phenomenon,which establishes a gene expression state through information transfer of chromatin state between homologous genes,and the new expression state can be transferred through meiosis to the following generation.Maize is a model plant for the study of paramutation and its mechanisms.Five loci paramutation have been discovered in maize so far.The studies on b1 paramutation system in maize have outlined a picture of the mechanism.It is possible that DNA tandem repeats,siRNA pathway and DNA-binding protein play important roles in the establishment and maintenance of the paramutation state in maize.