ERF1 — Capsicum annuum

Summary

CaERF1 (T459_11248) on pepper chromosome 4 encodes an AP2/ERF domain-containing transcription factor with DNA-binding, transcription corepressor and coactivator activities, and protein homodimerization and kinase-binding capabilities. It is associated with diverse biological processes including cellular responses to drought and salinity, jasmonic acid and ethylene signaling, defense response upregulation, trichome branching and papilla formation, seed oilbody biogenesis, phloem or xylem histogenesis, and red-light phototransduction. The gene is linked to numerous agronomic traits such as fruit length and weight, plant height, flowering time, photosynthetic rate, drought and submergence tolerance, disease tolerance, seed viability, heterosis, and flavonoid content. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to cold, salt, and drought stress tolerance, pathogen resistance, leaf senescence, and root architecture.