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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336541
Research Project: Genomic and Metabolomic Approaches for Detection and Control of Fusarium, Fumonisins and Other Mycotoxins on Corn

Location: Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research

Title: Molecular analysis of killer DNA from Neurospora Spore killer-2

Author
item RHOADES, NICHOLAS - Illinois State University
item HARVEY, AUSTIN - Illinois State University
item SAMARAJEEWA, DILINI - Illinois State University
item MANITCHOTPISIT, PENNAPA - Illinois State Museum
item SVEDBERG, JESPER - Uppsala University
item Brown, Daren
item SHIU, PATRICK - University Of Missouri
item JOHANNESSON, HANNA - Uppsala University
item HAMMOND, THOMAS - Illinois State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In standard Mendelian inheritance, each allele in a sexual cross has an equal probability of being transmitted to the next generation. However, there are certain “selfish” genes that are able to propagate themselves at a higher frequency than others in a population. Examples include the Neurospora Spore killers (Sk): Spore killer-1 (Sk-1), Spore killer-2 (Sk-2), and Spore killer-3 (Sk-3). The work presented here focuses on the Sk-2 element. Crosses of Sk-2 X SkS (Spore killer-sensitive) produce asci with four black, viable ascospores and four white, inviable ascospores. The four surviving ascospores inherit the Sk-2 element, resulting in a nearly 100% transmission of Sk-2 to the surviving population. Because of this, Sk-2 is transmitted in a non-Mendelian manner. Previous work has identified one gene and one locus involved in the spore killing mechanism, rsk (resistance to Spore killer) and rfk-1 (required for killing). Here, we report the identification of a 1500 bp segment of DNA (designated AH36) from the rfk-1 locus that correlates with a peculiar ascus abortion phenotype. Genetic evidence suggests that AH36 encodes a transcript that must be expressed for ascus abortion to occur. Preliminary in-silico analyses suggests that AH36 may encode a 39 amino acid protein that causes the ascus abortion phenotype. Site-directed mutagenesis and sub-cloning assays are in progress as part of an effort to test this hypothesis.