PNH — Brachypodium distachyon

Summary

BdPNH (BRADI_1G36907V3) on chromosome 1 of Brachypodium distachyon encodes a Piwi/Argonaute-family protein containing PAZ, Piwi and RNaseH-like domains. The gene is associated with a wide range of molecular functions including siRNA and miRNA binding, histone ubiquitin ligase and deubiquitinase activities, and DNA-binding transcription activator activity. It is linked to biological processes such as miRNA and long siRNA processing, gene silencing by miRNA-directed mRNA cleavage, regulation of cell fate specification, somatic stem cell population maintenance, and acropetal auxin transport. Associations with traits include leaf and inflorescence morphology, photosynthetic ability, lignin biosynthesis, gibberellic acid and cytokinin content, root phototropism, and responses to UV light and osmotic stress. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to shoot apical meristem development, leaf polarity, antiviral immunity, drought stress response, meiosis, and grain yield.