Dear all,

 

I have a question about the use of mutant backgrounds in Arabidopsis. Just to confirm my thoughts. Mutant backgrounds are used to search for even more aberrant phenotypes. New i wondered, if you insert an extra mutation by for instance EMS mutagenesis in a certain mutant background, and you self your plants (because you want your newly inserted mutation to become homozygous), does your original mutated background remain homozygous? I thought it did, but i started to doubt..

 

Thx in advance!

If you start with a homozygous mutant before doing the second mutagenesis, then yes.

if when a hetrozygous then?

if when a hetrozygous then?

 

Then do the calculations. If your plant is heterozygous and you self it, 1/4 will be homozygous for the first mutation. It all depends on what generation of your mutagensis you are talking about. Are you working with the M1 or the M2?