Question

What is the difference between tan1 mutants in maize and tan1 mutants in Arabidopsis? Why must a tan1, air9 double mutant be used in Arabidopsis? Be sure to define double-mutant (synthetic mutant)

Answer 1

Ans 1 - The TAN1 mutants in maize alters cell division orientations throughout maize leaf development without altering leaf shape . Maize TAN1 mutants have short stature and rough textured leaves with disordered cell patterning and shapes, without any cytokine defect.

The TAN1 mutants in Arabidopsis are required for root growth, root twisting and division plate orientation.

Ans 2 - TAN1 and AIR9 double mutants are used in Arabidopsis since being single , neither TAN1 nor AIR9 have a strong phenotype to express .

TAN1 and AIR9 double mutants have a synthetic phenotype consisting of short , twisted roots with disordered cortical microtubule array which is hypersensitive to microtubule depolymerizing drug.

Ans 3 - DOUBLE MUTANT ( SYNTHETIC MUTANT) - Double mutant is an organism containing mutant alleles in two genes of interest. In simple words , when a genetic interaction occurs , the double mutant will show a phenotype that is not simply explained by the independent actions of the two alleles .