EF1A — Cicer arietinum

Summary

EF1A on chickpea chromosome 2 encodes a translation elongation factor 1-alpha, a GTP-binding protein with GTPase activity that also exhibits SUMO transferase activity, SUMO binding, and kinase binding. The gene is associated with translation elongation, sumoylation, protein modification, and responses to abscisic acid and lipids. It is linked to embryo development, nitrogen fixation, nodulation, pigmentation, and cellular homeostasis. Associations with agronomic traits include germination rate, flowering time, pod number, seed coat color, protein content, root morphology, stomatal opening, and plant stress response. The protein localizes to the cytoplasm, vacuole, nucleolus, chloroplast stroma, mitochondria, Golgi complex, and plasmodesmata. Studies of related genes in other species connect them to seed weight, seed protein content, drought tolerance, salt response, and plant height.