A novel reverse-genetic approach (SIMF) identifies Mutator insertions in new Myb genes

We have developed a new strategy designated SIMF (Systematic Insertional Mutagenesis of Families), to identify DNA insertions in many members of a gene family simultaneously. This method requires only a short amino acid sequence conserved in all members of the family to make a degenerate oligonucleotide, and a sequence from the end of the DNA insertion. The SIMF strategy was successfully applied to the large maize R2R3 Myb family of regulatory genes, and Mutator insertions in several novel Myb genes were identified. Application of this technique to identify insertions in other large gene families could significantly decrease the effort involved in screening at the same time for insertions in all members of groups of genes that share a limited sequence identity. Received: 1 June 2000 / Accepted: 26 June 2000