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#complementation groups

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Gene Dissection and Complementation

If six mutants fall into three complementation groups, it indicates

Evaluating six mutants producing three complementation groups involves pairwise trans tests clustering non-complementing mutants together into shared groups. Each group contains mutants allelic to each other but complementing members of other groups indicating distinct functional units. Number of groups equals number of genes whose inactivation yields same phenotype because each group corresponds to one cistron encoding one enzyme or structural component. Therefore six isolates falling into three groups reveal three distinct genes required for pathway not six independent loci, simplifying genetic architecture and indicating limited gene set.

Ref: Griffiths et al., Introduction to Genetic Analysis, 12th ed., Chapter 7: Gene Number from Complementation Groups Calculation

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Gene Dissection and Complementation

Complementation groups represent

Complementation groups represent functional genetic units each group consisting of mutants failing to complement each other and therefore allelic and affecting same cistron. In screens for same phenotype multiple independent mutations may fall into same group because same enzyme affected while mutations in other enzymes fall into other groups. Number of distinct groups thus equals number of different genes whose loss can produce phenotype. Six mutants partitioning into three groups therefore imply three separate loci required for normal process each group corresponding to one gene in pathway.

Ref: Hartl & Ruvolo, Genetics, 6th ed., Chapter 7: Complementation Groups Define Gene Number Involved in Trait

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