IAA8 — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

Tomato IAA8 (also known as IAA9) on chromosome 4 encodes an AUX/IAA family protein with auxin receptor activity, auxin binding, DNA-binding transcription factor activity, and ubiquitin-protein transferase activity. It localises to the nucleus, cytoplasm, and SCF ubiquitin ligase complex. In tomato, IAA9 is associated with fruit initiation, fruit set, parthenocarpic fruit development, leaf development and morphology, and root penetration. The gene is linked to numerous traits including fruit type, length, and growth, carpel number, petal size, stigma exsertion, flower abortion, inflorescence number, adventitious root number, leaf vein morphology, phyllotaxy, phototropism, and water stress response. It is also associated with heat tolerance and leaf morphogenesis. Studies of related genes in other species link IAA9-related genes to auxin accumulation, fruit development, lateral root organogenesis, drought and salt tolerance, and gravitropic response.