LEA — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SOLYC02G084850.3, the tomato gene TAS14 (also known as LEA, SlLTI30, and SlXERO2) on chromosome 2, encodes a dehydrin family protein with a Dehydrin_CS domain and exhibits phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidate, phosphoinositide, and general lipid binding activities. In tomato, TAS14 is associated with salt tolerance. The gene is linked to numerous traits including raffinose content, leaf water potential, root hair density, stem diameter, fruit weight, net photosynthetic rate, water use efficiency, seed maturation, seed dormancy, chlorophyll content, plant height, and photochemical quenching. It is also associated with responses to freezing, cold, drought, osmotic stress, and abscisic acid, as well as membrane stability and seedling establishment. Studies of related genes in other species link the dehydrin family to drought stress resistance, ABA sensitivity, and hydrogen peroxide accumulation.