Date of Award

December 2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biology

First Advisor

William F. Sheridan

Abstract

The maize mutant UND-9 is being studied in our lab as part of a larger study into the genes responsible for embryo development in maize. It is known as an embryo-specific mutant, which causes the embryo of the maize kernel to fail to develop fully while not hindering the development of the endosperm. During this study, it was discovered that the inheritance of this mutation appeared to behave in a manner contrary to the normal laws of Mendelian inheritance. This paper represents a deeper study into the mechanisms of this behavior, analyzing the data collected so far and in particular whether transmission through either the male or female gametophyte has any effect on the presence of the mutation in further generations. We conclude that while some trends in the non-Mendelian behavior are inheritable, we find little evidence of gametophytes playing an abnormal role, and set the stage for future studies with a new hypothetical model.

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