GI — Cicer arietinum

Summary

GI (FB) on chickpea chromosome 4 encodes a GIGANTEA-family protein with GIGANTEA_N, GIGANTEA_M and GIGANTEA_C domains. The product is annotated with DNA-binding transcription repressor activity, blue light photoreceptor activity, calcium-dependent protein serine/threonine phosphatase activity, and numerous other molecular functions. GI is associated with regulation of long-day photoperiodism and flowering, circadian rhythm regulation, rhythmic processes, photoentrainment of the circadian clock, and negative regulation of auxin metabolism and cellulose anabolism. The gene is linked to traits including photoperiod sensitivity, vegetative-to-reproductive phase transition, flower and fruit number, abscisic acid concentration, carotenoid and xanthophyll content, amylose content, spot blotch response, leaf temperature and drying, stem length, whole plant size, and plant male sterility. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to photoperiodic flowering time control, circadian regulation, seed yield, and dehydration tolerance.