Epigenetic history of an Arabidopsis trans-silencer locus and a test for relay of trans-silencing activity

BMC Plant Biology

Table 2 The PTGS-mediated endogene cosuppression phenotype of the E82 locus is reduced by trans-silenced L91' as well as by naïve L91.

Grandparents	F2 family endogene silencing phenotype
	Endogene		[%] cop		Remarks¹⁾
	cop	wt	Observed	Expected	Excess of
L91' × E82	23	138	14%	75%	wt plants
E82' × L91	30	42	42%	27%	cop plants
L91 × E82	38	73	38%	87%	wt plants
L91' × E82'	1	17	6%	0%	one cop plant

¹⁾ Data were Chi-square tested under the null-hypothesis that L91' and E82' do not trans-silence their target loci, i.e., an additive interaction between the partner loci. Thus, in the case of L91 × E82, the only genotype escaping cosuppression should be L91 /-; E82 (-/-), which occurs at a frequency of 2/15 (13%). Note that entirely non-transgenic plants are not considered because of counterselection. Imprinted loci are not expected to cause endogene silencing (see Fig. 5). Thus, 12/15 of L91'/E82 family members, 4/15 of E82'/L91 family members and none of L91'/E82' family members are expected to be cop1-like. An excess of wild-type plants is inconsistent with an additive interaction and thus suggests trans-silencing activity by the L91' or L91 locus.

ISSN: 1471-2229