How purple corn and RNA break genetic laws


The new research indicates that an additional molecule, DNA's little cousin RNA, is needed for the intriguing gene interactions known as paramutation. Paramutation does not follow the laws of classical Mendelian genetics.

"Paramutation is this incredibly interesting, tantalizing violation of Mendel's laws," said senior author Vicki Chandler, director of BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona in Tucson. "It's been known to exist for 50 years, but nobody understood the underlying mechanism."



"In previous work, we identified a gene that is absolutely required for paramutation to happen," said Chandler, a UA Regents' professor of plant sciences and of molecular and cellular biology. "Now we've figured out what that gene does, and it's exciting because it suggests a mechanism for how this process works."



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