IRT1 — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SlIRT1 (SOLYC02G069210.3) on tomato chromosome 2 encodes a ZIP family metal transporter with iron channel activity and transmembrane transporter activities for copper, manganese, zinc, and cadmium ions. The gene is associated with metal ion transport, cellular and multicellular iron homeostasis, zinc import, manganese and nickel cation transport, and responses to iron, nitrate, and cadmium. It has been linked to protein content, plant growth and development, salt tolerance, and numerous phenotypes including iron deficiency tolerance, metal accumulation (iron, zinc, cadmium), photosynthetic efficiency, chlorophyll content, chloroplast development, disease resistance, root and leaf development, and circadian period length. The protein localizes to the plasma membrane, endosome, late endosome membrane, trans-Golgi network, and nucleus, and is associated with phosphoinositide and ubiquitin binding, mRNA binding, and ESCRT I complex formation. Related genes in other species link the family to iron uptake, cadmium sensitivity, and zinc tolerance.