NAC09 — Cicer arietinum

Summary

NAC09 (CUC2) on chickpea chromosome 1 encodes a NAC-domain transcription factor with DNA-binding, transcription coactivator, and protein homodimerization activities. The gene is associated with the regulation of plant organ formation timing, meristem initiation, organ boundary specification between lateral organs and the meristem, secondary shoot formation, xylem development, pistil development, autophagy, gibberellic acid homeostasis, salicylic acid-mediated signaling, and regulation of seed dormancy. It has been linked to numerous agronomic traits including leaflet morphology, leaf margin serration, leaf length, seed set percent, shoot system elongation, shoot growth angle, whole plant size, plant male sterility, seed yield, pollen fertility, cytokinin sensitivity, vegetative growth time, stem elongation, and abiotic stress response. The protein localizes to the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, and endosomal compartments. Related genes in other species are linked to cotyledon separation, embryonic shoot meristem formation, leaf margin dissection, and male fertility.