WUS — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SOLYC02G083950.3, the tomato WUS gene on chromosome 2, encodes a WUSCHEL-like homeodomain transcription factor that binds DNA, RNA, and protein, and localises to the nucleus, nucleolus and plant-type cell wall. In tomato, WUS is associated with stem cell proliferation, shoot apical meristem development, carpel and stomium development, flower formation, inflorescence morphogenesis, sex differentiation, tissue regeneration, and auxin and cytokinin breakdown. The gene is linked to numerous agronomic traits including fruit diameter, length, weight and size, locule number, grain shape and size, flower diameter and abortion, sepal, petal and floral organ size, inflorescence branching, shoot branching, tiller number, leaf shattering, stem diameter, and carotenoid and flavonoid content. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to shoot meristem maintenance, stem cell identity, and embryonic development.