HEL — Nicotiana attenuata

Summary

A4A49_01188 (HEL, also known as WIN2) in Nicotiana attenuata encodes a PR4 family protein containing a Barwin domain and a chitin-binding domain, with annotated molecular functions including RNA nuclease activity, chitin binding, sugar binding, hydrolase activity, transmembrane receptor protein serine/threonine kinase activity, and protein binding. This gene is associated with responses to herbivore, virus, water, and ethylene, as well as systemic acquired resistance, hypersensitive response-programmed cell death, cell death, ethylene anabolism, auxin signaling, phloem transport, photomorphogenesis, seed germination, embryogenesis, leaf vascular tissue pattern formation, and cellular homeostasis. It localizes to the secretory vesicle, extracellular region, and plasma membrane. Associations with leaf vein morphology, seed maturation, pathogen defense, wilt symptom development, resistance to Botrytis cinerea, salt tolerance, premature senescence, and abnormal leaf venation have been noted. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to disease resistance, insect resistance, and seed germination under salt stress.