RLK — Cicer arietinum

Summary

LOC101492496 (CaRLK) on chickpea chromosome 3 encodes a transmembrane receptor serine/threonine kinase with histidine kinase activity and sugar binding, belonging to the L-type lectin receptor kinase family. The gene is associated with pollen aperture formation and development, nitrogen fixation and nodulation, cell wall modification, somatic embryogenesis, regulation of developmental growth and defence responses to oomycetes and fungi, as well as immune response, cytokinin signalling, response to salicylate, and inhibition of salinity response. It localises to the pollen aperture, endoplasmic reticulum, extracellular region, cytosol and plasmalemma. Overexpression studies link CaRLK to salt tolerance and pathogen resistance. Related genes in other species are linked to seed germination, seed weight and size, root hair length, chlorophyll content, proline content, photochemical quenching, and disease and salt tolerance.