FUS3 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT3G26790 (FUS3, FUSCA3) in Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a B3 DNA-binding domain transcription factor with protein serine/threonine kinase activity. FUS3 is associated with somatic embryogenesis, seed development, seed maturation, and the embryonic-to-vegetative phase transition. It is associated with positive regulation of abscisic acid anabolism and triacylglycerol accumulation, and with negative regulation of gibberellin biosynthetic process. The gene is associated with numerous seed traits including seed weight, yield, protein and oil content, dormancy, germination rate, and iron distribution. Beyond seeds, FUS3 is linked to leaf variegation, root branching, flowering time, trichome morphology, submergence tolerance, and heat stress tolerance. It localizes to the nucleus, cytosol, and Golgi, and is associated with energy homeostasis, detection of nutrient, and memory. Studies of related B3-domain proteins in other species connect the family to glucose signaling and seed storage protein expression.