WOX5 — Triticum turgidum subsp. durum

Summary

TRITD3BV1G207240, designated TtWOX5 on durum wheat chromosome 3B, encodes a WUSCHEL-like homeodomain protein with annotated methionine adenosyltransferase, chitinase, cytoskeletal motor, and transcription corepressor activities, and binds chromatin, nucleic acids, and sequence-specific DNA. In durum wheat, TtWOX5 is associated with root development. The gene is linked to axillary shoot meristem initiation, procambium histogenesis, plant organ formation, regeneration, gibberellic acid homeostasis, response to oomycetes, and positive regulation of mRNA splicing. Associations extend to root mass density, lateral root length, plant height, seed set, flowering time, lignin content, and tolerance to abiotic stress, cold, and salt. Related genes in other species are linked to seed coat development, cell division, and secondary metabolite production.