GCN2 — Nicotiana attenuata

Summary

A4A49_25772 (GCN2) in coyote tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata) encodes a protein kinase with eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2alpha kinase activity, RNA polymerase II CTD heptapeptide repeat kinase activity, and protein serine/threonine kinase activity. The gene is associated with translation initiation, protein synthesis, intracellular signal transduction, and responses to UV-C, cold, wounding, cadmium, and bacterial and fungal defence. It is linked to abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and anabolism, stomatal closure, seed germination, and activation of the salinity response. Associations with drought tolerance, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, and stomatal opening have been noted. The product localises to the cytosol, cytoplasm, and nucleus. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to mitogen-activated protein kinase and cyclin-dependent kinase functions.