A Genetic and Phenotypic Description of Eceriferum (cer) Mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana

Abstract

Mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana with brighter green stems and siliques than the wild type are called eceriferum (cer) mutants. Eighty-eight induced and one spontaneously arisen mutant were localized to 21 different loci, nine of which were mapped on one of the five Arabidopsis chromosomes. Under conditions of low humidity, we found that partial sterility was characteristic for mutants at the cer1, cer3, cer6, cer8, and cer10 loci. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a deviating epicuticular wax layer in all mutants. On the surface of some mutants we observed no wax structures, whereas these structures were changed in morphology or reduced in size and quantity on other mutants at different loci. A low number of wild-type structures correlated generally with a much glossier phenotype that was observable to the naked eye. The degree of glossiness was in general locus-specific, but at some loci “leaky” alleles were found.