CHA1 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT5G66750 (CHA1, also known as DDM1) encodes an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler with DNA helicase activity, classified as EC 3.6.4.12. The protein contains SNF2 and helicase domains and localizes to the nucleus, heterochromatin, and chromocenters. In Arabidopsis, CHA1 is associated with DNA methylation, heterochromatin formation, meiotic recombination, and leaf structure. It is linked to biological processes including telomeric silencing, DNA imprinting, homologous recombination, retrotransposition, and memory. The gene is associated with traits such as heterosis, flowering time, leaf number and shape, seed development, salt response, disease tolerance, and protein content. Studies of related genes in other species link it to UV sensitivity, transposable element silencing, and heterochromatin assembly.