BEL5 — Solanum tuberosum

Summary

PGSC0003DMG400005930, the potato gene BEL5 on chromosome 6, encodes a protein with a homeobox domain and a POX domain. It is annotated as an RNA polymerase II-specific DNA-binding transcription factor with protein homodimerization and RNA-binding activities. BEL5 is associated with tuber formation, tuber growth, tuberization, tuber yield, and tuber productivity in potato, as well as with tuberization under high temperature. The gene is linked to response to short-day, negative regulation of auxin mediated signaling pathway, starch anabolism, and hormone metabolism. It has been connected to tuber morphology trait, subterranean shoot axis tuber size, starch content, root thickness, and relative growth rate. BEL5 localizes to the nucleus, cytoplasm, plasmodesma, and microtubule cytoskeleton. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to fruit development and traits such as lycopene and chlorophyll content.