MAS2 — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Summary

BoMAS2, located on cauliflower chromosome 3, encodes a protein containing NKAP and NKAP_C domains and exhibits multiple nucleic acid-binding and endonuclease activities, including DNA endonuclease activity producing 3'-phosphomonoesters, 5' flap endonuclease activity, and RNA endonuclease activity. It is associated with miRNA and siRNA binding, chromatin binding, and actin binding. The gene is linked to diverse biological processes such as pre-miRNA 3'-end processing, gene silencing by miRNA, auxin metabolism, leaf pattern formation, and regulation of cell division and calcium ion transport. It localizes to the nucleolus, plastid, and Slx1-Slx4 complex. BoMAS2 is associated with numerous agronomically relevant traits including seed yield, flowering time, leaf morphology, root development, submergence tolerance, viral and aphid response, and high and low temperature stress responses. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to post-transcriptional gene silencing, miRNA activity, and resistance to fungal pathogens.