CAF — Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Summary

DcCAF (DCAR_019363) on carrot chromosome 5 encodes a protein with ribonuclease III, helicase, and DNA glycosylase activities, and contains Dicer dimerisation, PAZ, RNase III, and dsRNA-binding domains. The gene is associated with small RNA processing pathways including LsiRNA, pre-miRNA, and ta-siRNA processing, as well as gene silencing by miRNA-mediated mRNA cleavage. It has been linked to soluble sugar content in carrot, and broader associations include leaf and floral morphology traits, vegetative vigor, viral disease response, herbicide sensitivity, seed dormancy, and root meristem development. The gene product localises to the nucleus, nucleolus, cytosol, and nuclear speck, and is connected to the CCR4-NOT core complex and Cul4-RING E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to antiviral defence, systemic RNA interference, and resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.