Abstract
A standard protocol for the yellow‐green‐2 (yg2) forward mutation assay in Zea mays is proposed. A detailed calibration of the assay using 137Cs gamma rays and ethylmethanesulfonate (EMS) was conducted. Gamma ray‐induced mutant sectors in leaves 4 and 5 exhibited one‐hit kinetics. The radiation doses ranged from 25 to 500 rads. The mean induced mutation rate per rad of gamma radiation was 4.54 × 10−6. This value was constant for the primordial cells of leaves 4 or 5. The induction of forward mutation by EMS also exhibited one‐hit kinetics in the concentration range 0.25–20 mM (0.33–23.54 μmol EMS/kernel). The mean induced mutation rate per mM EMS was 1.79 × 10−4, and the mean induced mutation rate per μmol of EMS per kernel was 1.52 × 10−4. Using the induced mutation rates for gamma radiation and EMS, the rad equivalent was calculated. One rad of gamma radiation is equivalent to the exposure of a 2.53 × 10−5 M EMS solution or to 2.99 × 10−8 mol of EMS per kernel.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 781-795 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Environmental Mutagenesis |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1984 |
Keywords
- Zea mays
- ethylmethanesulfonate
- forward mutation
- gamma radiation
- rad equivalent
- yg2
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Genetics
- Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis