Genetic analysis of leaf form mutants from the Arabidopsis Information Service collection

Although a vast inventory of morphological mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana is available, only some have been used for genetic studies of leaf developm ent. Such is the case with the Arabidopsis Information Service (AIS) Form M utants collection, assembled by A. R. Kranz and currently stored at the Not tingham Arabidopsis Stock Centre, which includes a large number of mutant l ines, most of which have been little studied. With the aim of contributing to the genetic dissection of leaf ontogeny, we have subjected 57 mutant lin es isolated by others to genetic analysis, 47 of which were from the AIS co llection. These are characterized by vegetative leaves of abnormal shape or size, and were chosen as candidates for mutations in genes required for le af morphogenesis. The mutant phenotypes studied were shown to be inherited as single recessive Mendelian traits and were classified into 10 phenotypic classes. These mutant strains were found to fall into 37 complementation g roups, 7 of which corresponded to known genes. Results of the phenotypic an alysis and data on the genetic interactions of these mutants are presented, and their possible developmental defects discussed.