ZB8 — Oryza sativa Japonica

Summary

OsZB8 (also known as PAL1, PAL2, PAL3, PAL4, and ZB8) on rice chromosome 2 encodes a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase with tyrosine ammonia-lyase activity, ammonia-lyase activity, and protein dimerization activity, and it also has DNA-binding transcription factor activity. This gene is associated with resistance to sheath blight, bacterial blight, and root-knot nematode, as well as lignin deposition and disease responses. It is linked to the downregulation of chlorophyll anabolism, salicylic acid breakdown, cinnamic acid anabolism, and drought recovery, along with traits such as seedling vigor, leaf color, plant height, tiller number, pollen fertility, cold tolerance, and salt tolerance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to chlorogenic acid and rutin accumulation, UV stress resistance, and herbivore defense.