CHIT3 — Medicago truncatula

Summary

MTR_1G099290 (CHIT3, also known as MtACCICER) on barrel medic chromosome 1 encodes a protein with chitinase activity, lysozyme activity, and calcium ion binding, belonging to the Glyco_hydro_18 family. The gene is associated with chitin and polysaccharide breakdown, amino sugar metabolism, nitrogen fixation, nodulation, spore formation, spore and seed germination, seedling development, and defence response to fungi. It is linked to amyloplast, vacuole, and extracellular localisation, and to traits including seed hardness, seed dormancy, and biomass yield. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to chitinase and lysozyme enzyme classes, and to traits such as seed weight, plant height, chlorophyll content, drought tolerance, and root architecture.