Molecular analysis of a mutation conferring the high-lysine phenotype on the grain of barley (Hordeum vulgare).

We have analyzed the molecular nature of the Riso 56 mutation that occurs in barley. This mutation results in a depression of hordein accumulation in the grain and consequently in a higher overall lysine content. In particular, the amount of B hordein, which is encoded by the complex locus Hor-2, is decreased by about 75% because of the absence of the major components. The synthesis of certain minor polypeptides, with properties similar to the major B hordeins, remains unaffected. Analysis of endosperm RNA, by in vitro translation and hybridization to various cloned cDNAs derived from hordein mRNA, shows that mRNA for the major B hordeins is not present in the endosperm. Hybridization of a B hordein cDNA clone to gel-fractionated restriction digests of mutant and wild-type DNA indicates that at least 85 kb of DNA has been deleted from the Hor-2 locus in the high-lysine mutant.