URE — Cicer arietinum

Summary

CaURE (LOC101514697) on chickpea chromosome 5 encodes a urease enzyme, confirmed by annotated urease activity and nickel-binding molecular functions, and belongs to multiple urease subunit domain families including Urease_alpha_N_dom and Urease_asu. The gene is associated with urea breakdown, nitrogen fixation, nodulation, seed germination, cell death, fermentation, pH reduction, and nitric oxide storage. It localises to the urease complex, cytosol, and cytoplasm. Associations with carbon content, root volume, and root length have been recorded. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to traits including seed protein content, nitrogen content, drought tolerance, chlorophyll content, plant height, root and shoot dry weight, and cell membrane stability, as well as to the inability to grow on urea when urease activity is absent.