ARF — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SlARF (SOLYC04G025560.4) encodes a small GTPase of the ARF family, possessing G protein activity, phosphatidylinositol kinase activity, phospholipase activator activity, and actin-binding functions. In tomato, SlARF is associated with leaflet and sepal formation, placentation, root system development, vesicle-mediated transport, and regulation of auxin and carotenoid metabolism. It localizes to Golgi-associated vesicles, COPII-coated vesicles, the ER membrane, and early endosomes. The gene has been linked to agronomically important traits including fruit firmness and size, biomass yield, water use efficiency, chlorophyll and starch content, leaf angle and shape, stem elongation, days to flowering, root length and mass density, and responses to light, ethylene, low temperature, and viral disease. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to vesicular transport, phototropism, chloroplast movement, stomatal aperture regulation, and abiotic stress tolerance.