CUC2 — Asparagus officinalis

Summary

A4U43_C05F15020, also known as AoCUC2, encodes a NAC domain-containing transcription factor on asparagus chromosome 5. The protein possesses DNA binding, transcription coactivator activity, and protein homodimerization activity, and localizes to the nucleus. AoCUC2 is associated with the regulation of plant organ formation, meristem initiation, organ boundary specification, secondary shoot formation, lateral root morphogenesis, xylem development, and reproductive structure development. It has been linked to numerous agronomic traits including leaflet and leaf margin morphology, axillary bud morphology, shoot system elongation, seed set, whole plant size, gynoecium development, shoot growth angle, plant male sterility, seed yield, and sensitivity to gibberellic acid and cytokinin. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to cotyledon separation, embryonic shoot meristem formation, leaf margin dissection, and drought tolerance.