The Relation between Modulator and Activator in Maize

1 December 1954

journal article
research article
Published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Vol. 40 (12) , 1118-1126
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.40.12.1118

Abstract

It is shown that Modulator (Mp), postulated by Brink and Nilan as a component of the long-known variegated pericarp allele (Pvv) in maize, corresponds to Activator (Ac) a unit which McClintock identified as the co-agent of Dissociation (Ds) in causing instability and chromosome breakage at the Ds locus. The relationship was established by showing that Modulator, like Activator, promotes Ds chromosome breakage at the standard position of Dissociation in the short arm of chromosome 9. Four classes of stable P alleles tested and another highly unstable allele, mosaic pericarp (pMM), did not promote Ds chromosome breakage. The evidence shows that Modulator has certain properties in common with both Activator and Dissociation.

This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:

CHROMOSOME ORGANIZATION AND GENIC EXPRESSION
Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, 1951