LEA — Capsicum annuum

Summary

T459_06387, designated CaLEA in pepper (Capsicum annuum) on chromosome 2, encodes a dehydrin family protein characterized by a dehydrin conserved sequence and lipid-binding activities, including phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidate, and phosphoinositide binding, as well as metal binding. The gene is associated with cellular responses to desiccation, salt, drought, cold, wounding, abscisic acid, and light stimulus, along with cold acclimation, embryogenesis, seed development, osmotic response, virus-induced PTGS, and defence against fungi. It localizes to the vesicle membrane, membrane, cytosol, cytoplasm, and nucleus. CaLEA is linked to photosynthetic rate, freezing and cold stress tolerance, seedling establishment, drought and salt stress tolerance, osmotic stress tolerance, membrane stability, and ABA response. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to drought tolerance, salt tolerance, osmotic stress response, and traits such as seed size, germination rate, and water use efficiency.