The molecular basis for a shorter Cat2 transcript in maize lines null for the CAT-2 catalase iso/yme was investigated using cDNA libraries and genomic DNA blots. Sequence comparison of partial Cat2 cDNAs obtained from two CAT-2 null lines and a wild-type CAT-2 encoding cDNA showed that the Cat2 null transcripts diverged from the wild-type transcript but remained homologous to each other. Genomic DNA blots indicated that the missing portion of the transcript is present in the genomes of lines null for the CAT-2 isozyme. Differences in the hybridization patterns of normal and null lines were revealed when genomic DNA blots were probed with the full-length Cat2 cDNA, a Cat2 gene-specific probe, and a "null sequence" probe. Together, the DNA blotting results suggest that a rearrangement of the Cat2 gene has occurred in the CAT-2 null lines. The available data suggest that the CAT-2 null mutation in maize is due to a DNA insertion into the Cat2 gene.