DNA insertion in the first intron of maize Adh1 affects message levels: cloning of progenitor and mutant Adh1 alleles.

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Abstract
A genetically unstable mutant allele of maize alcohol dehydrogenase-1 (Adh1) causes reduced levels of mRNA. This mutant was derived from a Robertson''s mutator genetic background and previously was shown to be associated with an .apprx. 1.5-kilobase [kb] insertion. This report compares a genomic cline of the allele, Adh1-S3034, with a clone of its progenitor nonmutant allele, Adh1-S. No rearrangements of either recombinant molecule occurred during the cloning process. The mutant differs from its progenitor allele by the insertion of 1.4 kb of new DNA. Sequence determination of the insertion borders localized it to intron-1, 73 base pairs downstream from the 5'' exon/intron junction in the Adh1-S gene. Insertion of the 1.4 kb element was associated with a 9-base-pair direct duplication of intron sequence. This insertion, Mu1, probably affects message levels by depressing RNA processing or transcription.