ERF1 — Capsicum annuum

Summary

CaERF1 (T459_20202) on pepper chromosome 7 encodes an ethylene-responsive transcription factor 4 with an AP2/ERF domain, possessing DNA binding, transcription coactivator and corepressor activities, and protein homodimerization activity. The gene is associated with diverse biological processes including cellular responses to drought and salinity, jasmonic acid and ethylene signaling, defense response upregulation, trichome branching, and seed oilbody biogenesis. It localizes to the nucleus, cytosol, and mediator complex. CaERF1 is linked to agronomically important traits such as fruit length and weight, plant height, flowering time, drought tolerance, submergence tolerance, photosynthetic rate, disease tolerance, and heterosis. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to cold and salt tolerance, pathogen resistance, leaf senescence, and root architecture.