LP2 — Lactuca sativa

Summary

LsLP2 (LP2) on lettuce chromosome 5 encodes a non-specific lipid-transfer protein (nsLTP) belonging to the bifunctional inhibitor/LTP/seed storage superfamily. The protein exhibits lipid carrier and lipid binding activities and is associated with phospholipid transfer to membranes, lipid transport, cutin anabolism and cuticle development, digestion, plant epidermal cell differentiation, programmed cell death, defense response, and response to thirst. It localizes to the plasma membrane, cell wall, plasmodesmata, Golgi, endosome, TGN, cytosol, and extracellular space. The gene is linked to photosynthetic rate, drought tolerance and response, cuticle permeability and integrity, hypocotyl elongation, shoot development and branching, gravitropism, cold and osmotic stress tolerance, flowering time, flower development, pollen tube growth, seed set, root development, and longitudinal cell elongation. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to pathogen resistance, cuticle-cell wall interface integrity, yield, nitrogen use efficiency, salt stress tolerance, and clubroot disease resistance.