Genetic analyses with oat-maize addition and radiation hybrid lines

Abstract

Oat-maize addition lines, with individual maize (Zea mays L.) chromosomes added to the oat (Avena sativa L.) genome via wide hybridization and embryo rescue, simplify the maize genome by 10-fold. Radiation hybrids, derived through gamma irradiation of monosomic addition lines, have less than a complete maize chromosome in an oat genomic background. Maize genes and gene families can be readily located to their respective physical chromosome or chromosome segment by rapid, high-throughput, and straight-forward PCR experiments. Polymorphisms are not required to map a maize DNA fragment with this system. Numerous non-mapping uses of these lines currently underway are described. Seed and/or DNA of the addition lines in various oat and maize backgrounds are available as well as approximately 650 radiation hybrid lines.