Preliminary Evidence of a Horizontal Transfer of Paramutation Phenomenon at the Gene in Maize ( L.).

Paramutation, a specific epigenetic phenomenon first identified in by Alexander Brink in the 1950s, has since been observed in different plant and animal species. What sets paramutation apart from other gene silencing processes is its ability for one silenced allele (referred to as paramutagenic) to silence another allele (paramutable) in trans. The resultant silenced allele (paramutated) remains stable across generations, even after separating from the paramutagenic allele, and acquires paramutagenic properties itself.