[Jumping gene gs of Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karsten ex Farw].

Studies on tomato culture revealed for the first time two phenomena: (1) instability of gene gs (green stripes on fruits) and (2) spontaneous expression of the character determined by the gs gene without involvement of sexual reproduction in some cultivars. The instability of the gs gene was detected by the phenotypic expression of character in different plants from the same strain, racemes of the same plant, fruits of the same raceme, and parts of the same fruit. The instability of the gs gene may be determined by endogenous regulatory genetic elements causing specific changes of the character, with the degree of these changes varying for different parts of the fruit and places of its formation on the plant. The instability of the gs gene was expressed for four generations. There were no other phenotypic changes in the offsprings studied. In addition, migration of the recessive gs gene to other cultivars followed by its complete expression in a whole plant or some parts of the plant was observed. Exogenous transfer of the gs gene is suggested.