Sad mutants

Genetic analysis indicates that two of the 10 sad mutants of A. strigosa that we isolated represent different mutant alleles at the Sadi locus.6 These mutants accumulate radiolabelled 2,3-oxidosqualene but not p-amyrin when the roots are fed with 14C-labelled precursor mevalonic acid, suggesting that the triterpenoid pathway is blocked between 2,3-oxidosqualene and P-amyrin.34 The roots of these mutants also lack detectable P-amyrin synthase activity, but, like the wild type and the other mutants, are unimpaired in cycloartenol synthase (CS) activity and sterol biosynthesis.34 The transcript levels for AsbASl are substantially reduced in roots of sadl mutants, while AsCSl transcript levels are unaffected,35 suggesting that the sadl mutants are either mutated in the AsbASl gene itself or in a gene involved in its regulation. 

Figure 103 Sad mutants of oats, Avena spp., are deficient in their ability to synthesize anti-microbial saponins and are susceptible to normally avirulent fungi.8,9...

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