IV.10. Proposal from the Chairman of the International Committee for Nomenclature and Symbolization.
T. Tsuchiya. Department of Agronomy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, U.S.A.
The procedure to be followed by barley workers to receive an official name and gene symbol for a new mutant in barley has been published in Barley Genetics Newsletter, Volume 1 (p. 6-7) and Volume 2 (p. 17-20). However, the procedure has been ignored by many workers with a few exceptions. Some workers do not refer to published literature, particularly the summaries published by D. W. Robertson and co-authors (1941, 1947, 1955, 1965), Robertson (1964, 1971), and reviews by L. Smith (1951) and R. A. Nilan (1964). They give their own symbols which have already been assigned for other type mutants. These papers cause confusion in the field of barley genetics and require considerable time in resolving mistakes by barley workers, especially the overall coordinator for genetic and linkage studies in barley.
Another problem is the lack of allelism testing with established genetic
stocks which have the same or similar traits to the newly obtained mutants.
Such cases have been recently found in six genes:
1. gl 2 is allelic to gl
2. gp 2 is allelic to gp
3. wst 3 is allelic to wst
4. gl 4 is allelic to gl 3
5. gs 8 is allelic to gs 5
6. gs 7 is allelic to gs 6
The second and fourth cases are particularly confusing; both gp 2 and gl 4 were located in chromosome 6, yet gp 2 was found to be allelic to gp on chromosome 2 and gl 4 was allelic to gl 3 in chromosome 4.
Recent results of allelism testing have shown that many similar type
mutants are allelic to each other (Hauser and Fischbeck, 1972, BGN, 2:28-29;
Fukuyama, et al., 1972, BGN 2:25-27; McMullen, 1972, BGN 2:76-79; Haus
and Tsuchiya, 1972, BGN, 2:79-80; Tsuchiya, 1972, BGN 2:80-87; 87-90).
The writer feels that if an official procedure is established and all
barley workers cooperate with the Committee for Nomenclature and Symbolization
of Barley Genes, it would be possible to avoid or at least reduce such
confusion as we have experienced.
The following is the procedure which is cited from previous publication in BGN, 2:17-20:
The following procedure for requesting a symbol for a new mutant should be followed:
1. Submit to the chairman of the International Committee for assigning Barley Gene Symbols the following information concerning the new mutant.
a. The name of the variety, hybrid selection, or stock in which the
mutant originally occurred.
b. The source of the mutation (spontaneous origin, induction with a
specific mutagenic agent, etc.)
c. Detailed description of the mutant phenotype including where appropriate,
morphological, physiological, and cytological details (see for detail,
BGN 1:6-7). Photographs, slides, and/or line drawings illustrating the
mutant phenotype should be accompanied for application of gene symbols.
Color photographs and slides should be submitted for chlorophyll and other
color mutants except albino mutants. Line drawings should be submitted
where photographs do not adequately portray the mutant phenotype.
d. Inheritance data.
2. Submit a suggested symbol and justification for its use in accordance with recommended rules of symbolization.
3. Send seed samples (50 kernels or more) of the mutant and the original variety in which it occurred to the Genetic Stock Center, Department of Agronomy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, U.S.A. (Attention: Dr. T. Tsuchiya).
4. After the assignment of a permanent gene symbol by the committee, the mutant stock will be assigned a Barley Genetic Stock (BGS) number.
5. Two copies of the reprints in which data regarding a new gene are published should be sent to the Genetic Stock Center.
An application form is shown on the following page. Barley worker(s) who want a name and gene symbol for their mutants should fill in the form and mail it to the Chairman of the Committee (T. Tsuchiya) or other committee members near the worker(s), together with seed sample and other documents mentioned above. An application form should be prepared separately for each mutant type.
The committee member receiving such application should forward them to the committee chairman.
The committee chairman, upon receipt of all necessary documents and seed samples, will act as key-man in sending a set of copies of all documents to all committee members for their review and comments or suggestions.
Final decision will be made by the committee chairman after he receives replies from all committee members regarding the name and gene symbol of the new mutant(s).
The applicant will receive the name and the gene symbol(s) agreed upon from the committee chairman. The following is the official notice:
Hereby certify the following name and gene symbol(s) for your mutant.
1. Type of mutant
2. Origin of the mutation
3. Name of the mutant
4. Gene symbol given
************************************
Provisional symbol is given because:
a. Lack of necessary documents
b. Lack of necessary testing
c. Seed samples have not been supplied
[p. 94, full-page application form]
No.
Date Received
Date Approved
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Application for Name and Gene Symbol of a New Mutant in Barley
1. Type of mutant
2. Origin of the mutation
3. Brief description of the trait
4. Inheritance
5. Allelism testing with:
6. Suggested name and gene symbol of the mutant
References:
1. Nilan, R. A. 1964. The cytology and genetics of barley. Washington
State University Press.
2. Robertson, D. W. 1964. Barley Genetics I:159-180.
3. Robertson, D. W. 1971. Barley Genetics II:220-242.
4. Robertson, D. W. et al. 1941. J. Amer. Soc. Agron. 33:47-64.
5.Robertson, D. W. et al. 1947. J. Amer. Soc. Agron. 39:464-473.
6. Robertson, D. W. et al. 1955. Agron. Jour. 47:418-425.
7. Robertson, D. W. et al. 1965. Crop Sci. 5:33-43.
8. Smith, L. 1951. Bot. Rev. 17:1-51, 133-202, 285-355.