ARF — Capsicum annuum

Summary

CaARF (T459_05454) on pepper chromosome 2 encodes a small GTPase of the ARF family, with predicted activities including G protein, phosphatidylinositol kinase, phospholipase activator, and histone acetyltransferase functions. The gene is associated with vesicle-mediated transport, Golgi organization, ER-to-Golgi transport, phloem transport, and regulation of auxin metabolism. It has been linked to numerous agronomic traits including biomass yield, water use efficiency, days to flowering, root mass density, stomatal resistance, leaf senescence, and responses to low temperature, oxidative stress, abscisic acid, ethylene, and viral disease. Additional associations include phototropism, blue light sensitivity, leaf vein morphology, lateral root length, and phenolic compound content. Studies of related genes in other species connect the ARF family to fruit set, fruit firmness, starch content, and abiotic stress tolerance.