AL1 — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Summary

BoAL1 on cauliflower chromosome 9 encodes a PHD-finger protein of the Alfin family, acting as a transcriptional co-regulator with histone-binding and DNA-binding activities. The gene is associated with maintenance of inflorescence, floral and shoot apical meristem identity, cell fate determination, root development and root hair elongation, as well as responses to salinity and phosphate starvation. It is linked to chromatin organization, epigenetic downregulation of gene expression, and viral DNA replication. Traits connected to BoAL1 include flowering time, vegetative-to-reproductive phase transition, carpel and seed development, root morphology, hypocotyl elongation, and sensitivity to abscisic acid and jasmonic acid. The protein localises to the nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and PRC1 complex. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to seed germination, dormancy, thermoinhibition, phosphate homeostasis and root hair formation under phosphate deficiency.