Genetics, Vol 140, 1379-1387, Copyright © 1995

INVESTIGATIONS

Environmental Programming of Heritable Epigenetic Changes in Paramutant r-gene Expression Using Temperature and Light at a Specific Stage of Early Development in Maize Seedlings

B. C. Mikula
Defiance College, Defiance, Ohio 43512

Different heritable expression-states were programmed into R alleles from R/R-lst heterozygotes under different temperature conditions applied during a developmental period in which flowering is induced. At maturity, R-allele expressions in test crosses of male gametes derived from R/R-lst seedlings raised 15 days in 32{deg} and continuous light conditions differed significantly from those of sib seedlings raised for 15 days in 22{deg} and continuous light conditions and shifted to six 12-hr light-dark cycles, days 16-21. This experiment provides the first evidence in higher organisms that environmental conditions, applied at a specific stage of development cause a heritable change in a specific allele expression. My earlier evidence required a statistical analysis for demonstrating heritable change; I present photographic evidence of this environmental effect on four R alleles.

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