Constantin M J
Environ Health Perspect. 1978 Dec;27:69-75. doi: 10.1289/ehp.782769.
Plants possess biological and operational attributes that have encouraged geneticists to use them extensively in the development of fundamental genetic concepts. Attributes such as regenerative plasticity, high fecundity, cultural adaptability, range of ploidy, economics of culture and maintenance of specific populations, and versatility make plant genetic systems prime candidates with which to monitor the environment for mutagens. A specific locus (equivalent to a classical Mendelian gene) controls the development of a phenotypic characteristic. It can also mutate to a new allelic form with a consequentially altered phenotypic characteristic and can be separated by crossing over from adjacent loci that govern other specific phenotypic characteristics. Since various plant species have numerous specific loci, one has a rich array of potential systems from which to select. Specific locus systems in higher plants could be used to assess the mutagenicity of single chemical compounds or combinations of chemical compounds. Depending on the circumstances, seeds and/or seedlings could be used; plants could be grown in situ in either containers or plots to assess the immediate environment for one or more mutagens over an extended period. Since plants are eucaryotes, data from such experiments could serve as one more source of information along with that obtained from a battery of other tests used in the tier system.
植物具有生物学和操作方面的特性，这些特性促使遗传学家在基本遗传概念的发展过程中广泛使用它们。诸如再生可塑性、高繁殖力、培养适应性、倍性范围、培养和特定种群维持的经济性以及多功能性等特性，使植物遗传系统成为监测环境中诱变剂的理想选择。一个特定基因座（等同于一个经典孟德尔基因）控制着一种表型特征的发育。它也可以突变为一种新的等位基因形式，从而导致表型特征发生改变，并且可以通过与控制其他特定表型特征的相邻基因座发生交换而分离。由于各种植物物种拥有众多特定基因座，因此有丰富的潜在系统可供选择。高等植物中的特定基因座系统可用于评估单一化合物或化合物组合的诱变性。根据具体情况，可以使用种子和/或幼苗；植物可以在容器或地块中就地生长，以在较长时间内评估一个或多个诱变剂的即时环境。由于植物是真核生物，此类实验的数据可作为信息的另一个来源，与从层级系统中使用的一系列其他测试获得的数据一起。
