ZB8 — Oryza sativa Japonica

Summary

OsZB8 (Os11g0708900) encodes a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (EC 4.3.1.24) with additional tyrosine ammonia-lyase activity, ammonia-lyase activity, amino acid binding, protein dimerization activity, and DNA-binding transcription factor activity. In rice, this gene is associated with sheath blight resistance, bacterial blight resistance, resistance to root-knot nematode, lignin deposition, and disease responses. It is linked to diverse biological processes including L-phenylalanine breakdown, cinnamic acid and brassinosteroid anabolism, salicylic acid breakdown, downregulation of chlorophyll anabolism, drought recovery, and regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism. Associations extend to agronomic traits such as plant height, tiller number, leaf angle, seedling vigor, photosynthetic rate, cold tolerance, salt tolerance, germination rate, pollen fertility, and IAA content. The protein localizes to the cytosol, cytoplasm, nucleus, and SCF complex. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to UV stress resistance, herbivore defense, and chlorogenic acid accumulation.