ERD8 — Sorghum bicolor

Summary

SbERD8 (SORBI_3002G243500) on sorghum chromosome 2 encodes a heat shock protein 90 family member with ATP-dependent protein folding chaperone activity, also annotated with transcription regulator activity, siRNA and miRNA binding, RNA endonuclease activity, and blue light photoreceptor activity. The gene is associated with diverse biological processes including cellular response to brassinosteroid stimulus, auxin metabolism, cytokinin anabolism, photoentrainment of the circadian clock, UV protection, and negative regulation of cellulose anabolism. It is linked to traits such as photoperiod-sensitive flowering time, maturity time, seed viability, starch grain synthesis, and responses to downy mildew, aphids, and viral disease. Localization evidence places the product at the chloroplast outer membrane, ER lumen, proteasome, and perinuclear cytoplasm. Studies of related genes in other species connect the HSP90 family to heat shock response, floral transition, male fertility, and pathogen resistance.