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Mapping the Cancer-Like Rough Endosperm414 Mutant in Maize

Anadaisy Aguirre

Authors:  Anadaisy Aguirre, Mark Settles, Chiwah Tseung, Fang Bai

Faculty Mentor:  Mark Settles, PhD

College:  College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

Abstract

U2-type and U12-type introns are spliced by different spliceosome complexes during pre-mRNA processing. Reduced efficiency of U12-type RNA splicing results in cell differentiation and proliferation defects in both maize endosperm and the human myeloid blood cell lineage. Endosperm tissue culture screening from 29 mutant lines found the rgh414 mutant that proliferates in endosperm tissue culture similar to the U12 RNA splicing mutants, rgh3 and rbm48. The rgh414 locus was mapped to chromosome 10. Genetic fine-mapping will position the mutant locus to a small chromosomal region to identify candidate RNA splicing factors that could encode the rgh414 gene.

Poster Pitch

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Poster

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10 Responses
  4. Sashawn Lawrence

    Hello Anadaisy! I really found your poster insightful. How do you think your findings help to contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding efforts to detect and treat cancer?

    1. Anonymous

      Hey Sashawn,

      By studying mutants in maize, such as these that affect splicing factors, we can gain a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the development of cancer in humans. Once identified, these mutations can be screened for and treated through gene therapy.

  7. Christine Chase

    Anadaisy,

    Great work! I would love to talk to you some time for advice about using the indels to map some of our restorer-of-fertility mutants in maize.