ARF — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SlARF, the tomato ARF gene on chromosome 2, encodes a small GTPase of the Arf1-5-like family. It is associated with diverse molecular functions including G protein activity, phosphatidylinositol kinase activity, phospholipase activator activity, and histone acetyltransferase activity. SlARF is linked to numerous biological processes such as leaflet and sepal formation, placentation, root system development, vesicle-mediated transport, and the regulation of auxin and carotenoid metabolism. The gene has been connected to agronomically important traits including fruit firmness and size, biomass yield, starch and sugar content, water use efficiency, chlorophyll content, leaf relative water content, and responses to light, ethylene, low temperature, and viral disease. It localizes to Golgi-associated vesicles, the ER membrane, and endosomes. Studies of related genes in other species link the ARF family to vesicular transport, phototropism, and stress tolerance.