HAN — Lactuca sativa

Summary

LsHAN, also known as LsGATA20, encodes a GATA-type zinc-finger transcription factor with DNA-binding transcription activator activity specific to RNA polymerase II, as well as miRNA binding and translation initiation factor activity. In lettuce, this gene is associated with the regulation of shoot apical meristem development, somatic stem cell population maintenance, abaxial cell fate specification, and floral organ identity specification, including carpel, stamen, and anther development. It is also linked to responses to nitrogen compounds, cytokinin, and absence of light, as well as chloroplast organization and nodulation. The gene has been connected to numerous traits such as leaf morphology and size, flower development, petal and sepal morphology, shoot meristem development, and disease tolerance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to floral bract development, fruit valve formation, and Fusarium wilt resistance.