JAI1 (LOC101499336) — Cicer arietinum

Summary

LOC101499336, designated CaJAI1 on chickpea chromosome 8, encodes a protein of the AIB/MYC-like family. The product possesses BHLH Transcription Factor Binding, transcription coactivator and corepressor activities, and is associated with diverse molecular functions including histidine phosphotransfer kinase, MAPKK, SUMO transferase and histone binding. CaJAI1 is linked to the regulation of defense responses to insects, induced systemic resistance via ethylene signaling, drought recovery, seed maturation, trichome spacing, chlorophyll metabolism, and responses to sulfur and nutrient starvation. Associations with agronomic traits include anther length, petal and sepal morphology, seed set, seed protein content, fruit ripening, leaf elongation, shoot elongation under submergence, branch angle, plant size, and male sterility. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to resistance to bacterial pathogens and herbivory, root architecture, and seed oil accumulation.