Progress in understanding of the genetic phenomenon paramutation

Abstract

The article focuses on paramutation. This phenomenon, which was first studied by Canadian plant geneticist R. A. Brink at the r-1 locus in maize, occurs when one allele weakens the action of other allele in a heritable way. It is claimed that the best case of paramutation is observed in b-1 locus in maize where the B-1 allele becomes paramutable, B' is paramutagenic and b-1 allele is neither paramutable nor paramutagenic.