Transcript Are all mutants bad? - University of Missouri

Are all mutants bad?
Mendel Workshop
Mutant

An individual that has a heritable change in
its DNA resulting in a novel phenotype, ie.
a new allele.
How we perceive mutants
The good mutants
Sweet corn

Single gene mutations in several different
starch biosynthesis genes have been
introduced into field corn to produce the
sweet corn we eat today.
 shrunken, sugary, amylose extender
Indian corn

Single gene mutations in the anthocyanin
(pigment) production pathway lead to the
colored kernels we see on an ear of Indian
corn.
Waxy1

A mutation in the waxy gene has been used
in production of tapioca.
Useful mutations

Disease resistance genes
– Anthocyanin genes

Insect resistance genes
– Glossy mutants

Flowering time genes

www.maizegdb.org/cgibin/imagebrowser_phenotypes.cgi