Viviparous-1 mutation in maize conditions pleiotropic enzyme deficiencies in the aleurone.

The viviparous-1 (vp1) mutation in maize (Zea mays L.) conditions a unique pleiotropic phenotype: premature germination of the embryo and failure to synthesize anthocyanin (flavonoid) pigments in the aleurone. By using a B-A translocation, it is possible to analyze the basis for the anthocyaninless phenotype of vp1 in the absence of vivipary. Anthocyaninless vp1 aleurones were found to be deficient in at least three enzymes of flavonoid biosynthesis (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, chalcone synthase, and UDPG-flavonoid glucosyltransferase) as well as in several other metabolically unrelated enzymes that show pronounced increases in late stages of aleurone development. The set of structural genes encoding such enzymes is postulated to be under the regulation of the vpl gene.