ATF1 — Verticillium dahliae

Summary

VDAG_08676, symbol ATF1 and also known as VdATF1, encodes a bZIP transcription factor that localises to the nucleus and possesses DNA-binding transcription factor activity, specifically RNA polymerase II cis-regulatory region sequence-specific DNA binding. In Verticillium dahliae, this gene is associated with responses to nitrosative stress, hydrogen peroxide, heat, copper, and oxidative stress, as well as with penetration peg formation, filamentous growth, nitrate assimilation, detoxification, cellular homeostasis, and signal transduction. It is linked to negative regulation of RNA polymerase II transcription, upregulation of aflatoxin anabolism, and hypersensitivity. The gene has been connected to vascular wilt disease and to the plant hosts Cotinus coggygria and Nicotiana tabacum. Studies of related genes in other species link the ATF1 family to calcium and acid sensitivity, as well as to infection of hosts including maize and apple.