MPK3 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT3G45640 (MPK3) in Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a member of the MAPK family. MPK3 is associated with stress-activated MAPK cascades, chitin signaling and response, PAMP-triggered immunity, and resistance to Botrytis cinerea, as well as susceptibility to Verticillium dahliae. It has been linked to the unfolded protein response, extracellular DNA-induced resistance, fusaric acid-induced cell death, defense metabolite production, cell wall biosynthesis, stomatal aperture regulation, and stress priming. The gene is also connected to traits including germinability in darkness, freezing stress response, nitrate content and transport, root hair density, root branching, stem length, leaf margin and vein morphology, seed longevity, and hydrogen peroxide content. Localization evidence places the protein at stress granules, the chloroplast outer membrane, and multivesicular bodies. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to shoot formation and differentiation.