EP3 — Cicer arietinum

Summary

CaEP3 (LOC105851081) on chickpea chromosome 1 encodes a protein with chitin-binding and glycosyl hydrolase family 19 domains, giving it chitinase activity and chitin binding capacity. The product is localised to the plant-type cell wall and extracellular space. CaEP3 is associated with chitin breakdown, amino sugar metabolism, cell wall macromolecule catabolic processes, and polysaccharide breakdown. It is associated with defence responses, including response to bacteria, defence response to fungi, response to wounding, and hypersensitive response-programmed cell death, as well as killing of cells of other organisms. Studies of the Arabidopsis relative EP3 link the family to somatic embryogenesis and pollen tube growth, while related genes in other species suggest associations with cytokinin content and disease tolerance.