ZIP — Brassica napus

Summary

BnZIP (ZIP, AGO7) on chromosome C02 of oilseed rape encodes an Argonaute-family protein with Piwi, PAZ and RNaseH-like domains and RNA endonuclease activity. The gene is associated with RNA binding, gene silencing by miRNA, posttranscriptional gene silencing, ta-siRNA and LsiRNA processing, and virus-induced PTGS. It is associated with temporal regulation of development, vegetative phase change, maintenance of shoot apical meristem identity, stem cell population maintenance, microgametogenesis, megagametogenesis, female meiotic nuclear division, histogenesis, and detoxification. The product localises to the nucleus, nucleolus, cytoplasm and NOR. Associations include juvenile-to-adult transition, leaf morphology and polarity, developmental timing, auxin signalling, antiviral resistance, and TAS3 tasiRNA biogenesis. Related genes in other species are linked to leaf shape, auxin sensitivity and drought tolerance.