ARF — Solanum tuberosum

Summary

PGSC0003DMG400001272, designated StARF on potato chromosome 1, encodes a small GTPase of the Arf1-5-like family. The product is associated with diverse molecular functions including G protein activity, phosphatidylinositol kinase activity, phospholipase activator activity, and actin binding. StARF is associated with vesicle-mediated transport to the plasma membrane, ER-to-Golgi transport, Golgi organization, and protein retention in the ER lumen. It is also associated with auxin metabolism and anabolism, shoot morphogenesis, blue light signaling, chloroplast accumulation movement, and anthocyanin biosynthesis. The gene is associated with numerous agronomic traits including biomass yield, water use efficiency, chlorophyll content, days to flowering, root mass density, stomatal resistance, and responses to low temperature, oxidative stress, ethylene, abscisic acid, and viral disease. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to fruit development, tuber sprouting, phototropism, and stress tolerance.