Induced transposition of Ds by a stable Ac in crosses of transgenic tobacco plants.

A two component maize transposon system comprising a stable but trans-active Ac element and a cis responsive Ds element has been established in transgenic tobacco. The development of this system is desirable for the realization of a gene tagging strategy employing these elements in heterologous plant species. Transgenic tobacco with a single transposed Ac element (Ac-18) which has sustained a 4 bp terminal deletion has been identified. Transposase activity of the stable Ac-18 was demonstrated in a tissue culture assay as well as in transgenic plants. When plants containing Ac-18 were crossed with transgenic plants carrying a Ds element, 25%-50% of the F1 progeny showed trans-activation of Ds transposition. Analysis of DNA of several F1 plants showed that each plant displayed a unique pattern of Ds transposition to new chromosomal sites.