NZZ — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT4G27330 (NZZ, also known as NOZZLE or SPOROCYTELESS) in Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a transcription regulator with activator and corepressor activities that binds sequence-specific DNA, including cis-regulatory regions of RNA polymerase II targets. This nuclear and cytoplasmic protein belongs to the NOZZLE/SPEAR family. NZZ is associated with sporocyte differentiation, meiosis I, anther morphogenesis, stamen formation, and specification of organ position and identity. It is linked to miRNA transcription, inflorescence meristem growth, cotyledon morphogenesis, dehiscence, response to strigolactone, and positive regulation of photomorphogenesis. Associations with agronomic traits include seed shattering, petal color, carpel number, leaf area and margin morphology, silique morphology, heterosis, and contents of brassinosteroids, oleic acid, selenium, and sulfur. Related genes in other species are linked to plant height, meristematic activity, and apical dominance.