ARF — Capsicum annuum

Summary

CaARF (T459_21160) on pepper chromosome 8 encodes a small GTPase of the ARF family, with ADP-ribosylation factor activity. It is associated with vesicle-mediated transport, including ER-to-Golgi and Golgi-to-plasma membrane trafficking, as well as protein retention in the ER lumen and Golgi organization. The gene is linked to auxin metabolism regulation, phototropism, blue light signaling, and chloroplast accumulation movement. Traits connected to CaARF include shoot and root phototropism, leaf vein morphology, biomass yield, water use efficiency, days to flowering, stomatal resistance, low temperature and oxidative stress responses, abscisic acid sensitivity, disease tolerance, and salt tolerance. It is also associated with leaf senescence, lateral root length, and ethylene sensitivity. Studies of related genes in other species link the ARF family to fruit set, leaf relative water content, and stress responses.