Keywords: maize

The maize abnormal chromosome 10 meiotic drive haplotype: a review

R. K. Dawe,  Chromosome Research,  2022.
The maize abnormal chromosome 10 (Ab10) haplotype encodes a meiotic drive system that converts heterochromatic knobs into centromere-like bodies that are preferentially segregated through female meiosis. Ab10 was first described in the 1940s and has been intensively studied. Here ...
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Studying the active role of the maize B chromosome in the modulation of gene expression

University of Missouri,  Phys Org,  2022.
A team of University of Missouri biologists has made a new discovery that provides novel insights into the function and properties of the maize B chromosome. The study was led by Dr. Xiaowen Shi and Dr. Hua Yang, postdoctoral fellows in the Birchler lab, and reported in the ...
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Effect of aneuploidy of a nonessential chromosome on gene expression in maize

X. Shi, H. Yang, C. Chen, J. Hou, T. Ji, J. Cheng and J. A. Birchler,  Plant Journal,  2022.
The nonessential supernumerary maize B chromosome (B) has recently been shown to contain active genes and be capable of impacting gene expression of the A chromosomes. However, the effect of the B chromosome on gene expression is still unclear. In addition, it is unknown whether ...
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The supernumerary B chromosome of maize: drive and genomic conflict

J. A. Birchler and H. Yang,  Open Biol,  11:210197. 2021.
The supernumerary B chromosome of maize is dispensable, containing no vital genes, and thus is variable in number and presence in lines of maize. In order to be maintained in populations, it has a drive mechanism consisting of nondisjunction at the pollen mitosis that produces ...
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Sequence of the supernumerary B chromosome of maize provides insight into its drive mechanism and evolution

N. Blavet, H. Yang, H. Su, P. Solanský, R. N. Douglas, M. Karafiátová, L. Šimková, J. Zhang, Y. Liu, J. Hou, X. Shi, C. Chen, M. El-Walid, M. E. McCaw, P. S. Albert, Z. Gao, C. Zhao, G. Ben-Zvi, L. Glick, G. Kol, J. Shi, J. Vrána, H. Šimková, J. C. Lamb,,  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,  118:e2104254118. 2021.
B chromosomes are nonvital chromosomes found in thousands of plants and animals that persist through various drive mechanisms. The drive mechanism of the maize B chromosome consists of mitotic nondisjunction at the second pollen division to produce two unequal sperm and then the ...
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Researchers report reference genome for maize B chromosome

Chinese Academy of Sciences,  Phys Org,  2021.
Three groups recently reported a reference sequence for the supernumerary B chromosome in maize in a study published online in PNAS. Dr. James Birchler's group from University of Missouri, Dr. Jan Barto's group from Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of ...
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B chromosomes and genome size in flowering plants

Trivers, RB, A.; Palestis, B. G.,  Genome,  47:1-8. 2004.
B chromosomes are extra chromosomes found in some, but not all, individuals within a species, often maintained by giving themselves an advantage in transmission, i.e. they drive. Here we show that the presence of B chromosomes correlates to and varies strongly and positively with ...
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