AXE1 — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Summary

BoAXE1, located on chromosome 9 of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), encodes a histone deacetylase with NAD-independent activity, also possessing histone demethylase, deacetylase, and transcription corepressor activities, and binding histones, chromatin, and ATP. It is associated with diverse biological processes including melatonin metabolism, regulation of ascorbate biosynthesis, jasmonic acid/ethylene-dependent systemic resistance, leaf formation, and epigenetic gene silencing. The gene is linked to numerous traits such as flower abscission, fruit ripening, male and female sterility, photoperiod-sensitive flowering time, sulfur and potassium sensitivity, aluminum response, and whole plant size. It localizes to the HDAC complex, PRC2 complex, nucleolus, and chloroplast envelope. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to abscisic acid response, systemic acquired resistance, seed viability, and defense against necrotrophic pathogens.