Easy plant bio question 2. (a) A gene that causes dark kernel color is disrupted

Question

Easy plant bio question

2. (a) A gene that causes dark kernel color is disrupted by a transposon, preventing its expression. When it jumps out, gene expression is restored and color in those cells resembles wild type. If the seed has a mottled appearance (white kernel with dark spots), what tissue do you expect the transposon jumped out of during the development? If one spot was larger than another, did the transposon jump out earlier, or later, in development? (b) What appearance do you expect if the transposon jumps out of the gene in pericarp cells early in seed development?

Explanation / Answer

Please find the answers below:

Answer a: Since the transposon jumps from one location to another during gene expression, the location of this transposon might also change. Here, presence of mottled appearance shows that although the seed was able to express the gene for dark color, the transposon might have arrived later in the developmental phase and hence cuased deterioration in gene expression.

However, if one of the spots is larger than the others, it shows that the transposon might have jumped out later in the developmental phase since late removal of the transposon would have prevented complete expression of the gene leading to development of only a few spots with large sizes.

Answer b: Since the pericarp does not contribute to the complete structure of the seed and only present in the lateral position of the kernel, jumping of the transposon to the pericarp cells would give an appearance of distorted color in the pericarpal region of the seeds.

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