title: Chimeric mitochondrial genes expressed in the C male-sterile cytoplasm of maize.
abstract: Aberrant recombinations involving the mitochondrial atp9, atp6 and coxII genes have created unique chimeric sequences in the C male-sterile cytoplasm (cms-C) of maize. An apparent consequence of the rearrangements is the interchanging of transcriptional and/or translational regulatory signals for these genes, and alterations in the reading frames encoding the atp6 and coxII genes in the C cytoplasm. Particularly unusual is the organization of the atp6 gene in cms-C mitochondria, designated atp6-C. The atp6-C sequence is a triple gene fusion product comprised of DNAs derived from atp9, atp6 and an open reading frame of unknown origin. Although there is no direct evidence indicating that these chimeric genes are responsible for the cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) trait, their novel arrangements and the strong correlation between these genes and the C type of male sterility suggest such a role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7614.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Dewey
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Timothy
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Levings
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D004247:DNA; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D003313:Zea mays / Q000235:genetics* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases