CENH3 — Brassica oleracea

Summary

BoCENH3 (BOLC102_C08P064470.1) on cabbage chromosome 8 encodes a centromere-specific histone H3 variant (CENP-A family) with a histone-fold domain and structural constituent of chromatin activity, along with methylated DNA binding and ubiquitin-protein transferase activities. The gene is associated with centromere complex and kinetochore localization, and with biological processes including CENP-A-containing chromatin assembly, kinetochore assembly, meiotic chromosome separation, centromeric silencing, and double fertilization. BoCENH3 has been linked to agronomically important traits such as heterosis, cytoplasmic male sterility, flowering time, root thickness, and relative root length. Studies of related genes in other species connect it to haploid induction, uniparental genome elimination, centromere identity, meiotic genome stability, and fertility, as well as to plant height and floral development traits.