ERF1 — Capsicum annuum

Summary

CaERF1 (T459_11664) on pepper chromosome 4 encodes an AP2/ERF domain-containing transcription factor with DNA-binding, transcription corepressor and coactivator activities, kinase binding, and protein homodimerization. It is associated with seed oil body biogenesis, trichome papilla formation and branching, cellular responses to drought and salinity, jasmonic acid and glucosinolate metabolism, ethylene signaling downregulation, induced systemic resistance, red-light phototransduction, and defense response upregulation. The gene is linked to traits including fruit length and weight, plant height, flowering time, drought and submergence tolerance, disease tolerance, photosynthetic rate, heterosis, flavonoid content, seed viability, and stomatal opening. It localizes to the nucleus, nucleolus, cytosol, and mediator complex. Studies of related genes in other species connect the ERF family to cold, salt, and drought stress tolerance, pathogen resistance, leaf senescence, and root elongation.