Tradescantia clone

In single studies, dimethyl sulfate induced somatic mutations in Drosophila melanogaster and in stamen hairs of Tradescantia clone BNL 4430. 

Emmerling-Thompson, M., and M.M. Nawrocky. Genetic basis for using Tradescantia clone 4430 as an environmental monitor of mutagens. J. of Heredity 71 261-265, 1980. 

L. W. Mericle and R. P. Mericle, Genetic nature of somatic mutations for flower color in Tradescantia, clone 02, Radiat. Bot. 7, 449-464 (1967). 

Several species in the family Commelinaceae, of which Tradescantia is a member, have features particularly well suited for certain radiobiological studies. Effects produced by ionizing radiations which are easily studied include (1) chromosome aberrations in microspores, root tips, ovaries, and stamen hairs (2) somatic mutations in petals and stamen hairs in clones heterozygous for flower color (3) pollen abortion (4) loss of reproductive integrity in stamen hairs and (5) whole plant or seedling death. The stamen hairs of Tradescantia clone 02 have also proved... 

Although many tissues or organs of this plant may be used efficiently in various experimental procedures (Table 1), this chapter will be concerned primarily with a detailed description of the procedures currently being used in handling the Tradescantia clone 02 stamen-hair system. Certain other Tradescantia clones, heterozygous for flower color, may be handled in the same way. >26,29,31)... 

TABLE L Various Plant Parts, End Points, and Characters Usable as Test Systems in Tradescantia Clone 02... 

FIGURE 1. Mature stock plant of Tradescantia clone 02, in a 6-inch pot, showing its characteristic growth habit. 

Bud development in the inflorescence of Tradescantia clone 02 proceeds in an orderly and continuous sequence from bud initiation to an-thesis, with the youngest buds at the base of the inflorescence 8,43) (Figs. 2A and 3). The development is very similar to that described in detail for T. paludosa. 4) An inflorescence on a potted plant may produce flowers and initiate new buds for over 5 months, ultimately producing as many as 140 or more flowers if the flowers are picked daily. 

TABLE 2. Frequency of Spontaneous Pink Mutant Events per Hair in Stamens of Tradescantia Clone 02 in Seven Separate Experiments ... 

Thus, handled properly, the stamen hair system of Tradescantia clone 02 can provide some unique mutagen information. Besides the resemblance of the growing stamen hair to a small cell culture colony, it has further advantages in that visible aberrant or mutant cell types are produced and cell lineage is clearly defined. In addition, the system is easily handled so that statistically adequate populations are usually readily obtained. Its advantage over a bacterial system is that it has eukaryotic chromosomes and is very sensitive to physical and chemical mutagens. 

Detailed procedures for the proper and efficient handling of the Tradescantia clone 02 stamen-hair system are given. The techniques de-... 

Clone 02 was originally discovered in 1958 by one of the authors (A.H.S.) growing outdoors in a collection of Tradescantia assembled by Professor W. V. Brown at the University of Texas at Austin. Its position between regular rows of plants suggested that it originated as a seedling. The parental species are not known, but T. occidentalis and T. ohiensis... 

This hybrid clone of Tradescantia has the usual range of biological variability from plant to plant for the various end points scored during an experiment. To minimize this variability and to maintain stock plants having a uniformly low spontaneous aberration frequency, it is desirable to screen the entire group of stock plants for aberrations every l -2 years. An alternative is to redone from a single selected plant. 

---