AP3 — Brassica napus

Summary

BnAP3 (AP3, DARMORV10_C04P38120.1) on oilseed rape chromosome C04 encodes a MADS-box transcription factor containing K-box and MEF2-like domains, with DNA-binding, protein dimerization and RNA polymerase II transcription regulatory activities. The gene is associated with specification of petal and stamen identity, floral organ morphogenesis, and maintenance of floral meristem identity. It has been linked to numerous floral traits including petal number and morphology, stamen length, carpel shape, flower morphology, days to flowering, photoperiod-sensitive flowering time, heterosis, seed longevity, and cytoplasmic male sterility. Additional associations include oxidative phosphorylation, response to silver ion, cellular osmotic response, mucilage extrusion from seed coat, megagametogenesis, and pistil development. The gene localizes to the nucleus, cytosol, and plasmodesmata. Related genes in other species are linked to floral organ identity, petal and stamen formation, and flower morphogenesis.