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Metabolism and Enzymology

Betaine Deficiency in Maize ¹

Complementation Tests and Metabolic Basis

Departamento de Bioquímica, CINVESTAV, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Apdo. Postal 14-740, 07000 México D.F., México, Center for Plant Environmental Stress Physiology, Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a betaine-accumulating species, but certain maize genotypes lack betaine almost completely; a single recessive gene has been implicated as the cause of this deficiency (D Rhodes, PJ Rich [1988] Plant Physiol 88: 102-108). This study was undertaken to determine whether betaine deficiency in diverse maize germplasm is conditioned by the same genetic locus, and to define the biochemical lesion(s) involved. Complementation tests indicated that all 13 deficient genotypes tested shared a common locus. One maize population (P77) was found to be segregating for betaine deficiency, and true breeding individuals were used to produce related lines with and without betaine. Leaf tissue of both betaine-positive and betaine-deficient lines readily converted supplied betaine aldehyde to betaine, but only the betaine-containing line was able to oxidize supplied choline to betaine. This locates the lesion in betaine-deficient plants at the choline betaine aldehyde step of betaine synthesis. Consistent with this location, betaine-deficient plants were shown to have no detectable endogenous pool of betaine aldehyde.

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