STZ — Cicer arietinum

Summary

LOC101503529 (CaSTZ, also known as ZAT6, ZF3, C2H2, and AZF3) on chickpea chromosome 5 encodes a C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor of the AZF1/2/3-like family. The product exhibits DNA binding, transcription corepressor activity, protein kinase activity, and histone H3K4 methylase activity. CaSTZ is associated with diverse biological processes including response to amino acids, leaflet formation, regulation of stomatal complex patterning, photoprotection, gibberellic acid homeostasis, and induced systemic resistance via jasmonic acid signaling. It is linked to traits such as photosynthetic rate, anthocyanin content, root and shoot development, seed coat morphology, and responses to abiotic stress, osmotic stress, UV-B light, and insect damage. The gene localizes to the nucleus, cytoplasm, cytosol, stress granules, and the preprophase band. Related genes in other species are linked to salt and freezing stress tolerance, anthocyanin and flavonoid biosynthesis, drought tolerance, innate immunity, and resistance to Botrytis cinerea.