CHITINASE — Cicer arietinum

Summary

CHITINASE (accicer) on chickpea chromosome 4 encodes a chitinase enzyme with chitinase, lysozyme, exochitinase, and beta-glucosidase activities, and belongs to the glycosyl hydrolase 18 and 19 families. The gene is associated with chitin and polysaccharide breakdown, defence response to fungi, nodulation, seed germination, seedling development, and salinity response. It has been linked to traits including seed hardness, biomass yield, plant height, bacterial blight disease resistance, salt and high temperature stress responses, root development, anthocyanin content, and seedling growth. The encoded protein localises to the extracellular space, plant-type cell wall, apoplast, vacuole, and nucleus. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to cell wall composition, disease resistance to Botrytis cinerea, heat stress tolerance, root meristem regulation, and organ regeneration.