title: Extensive phenotypic variation among allelic T-DNA inserts in Arabidopsis thaliana.
abstract: T-DNA insertion mutants are a tool used widely in Arabidopsis thaliana to disrupt gene function. We phenotyped multiple homozygous T-DNA A. thaliana mutants at each of two loci (AT1G11060 and AT4G00210). We measured life history traits, including germination, size at reproduction and fruit production. Allelic T-DNA lines differed for most traits at AT1G11060 but not at AT4G00210. However, insertions in exons differed from other insertion positions in AT4G00210 but not in AT1G11060. We found evidence for additional insertions in approximately half of the lines, but found few phenotypic consequences. In general, our results suggest that a cautious interpretation of T-DNA phenotypes is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wolyniak
authors.forename: Matthew T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rutter
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000235:genetics*; D055012:Chromosomal Position Effects / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D056426:Genetic Loci / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C036483:T-DNA