PMEI — Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Summary

DCAR_030435, designated DcPMEI2 on carrot chromosome 9, encodes a pectinesterase inhibitor domain-containing protein, placing it in the PMEI_plant family of cell-wall enzyme inhibitors. The gene product possesses pectinesterase inhibitor activity and enzyme inhibitor activity. DcPMEI2 is associated with pollen development and pollen germination, and its product localises to the pollen wall, endoplasmic reticulum, extracellular region and cytoplasm. The gene has also been connected to defense response. Studies of related genes in other species link the PMEI family to drought tolerance, oxidative stress tolerance and disease resistance, while sequence similarity connects the family to fruit firmness, fruit size, cytoplasmic male sterility and oxidative stress response in other species.