ERD2 — Zea mays

Summary

ZmERD2 (also known as ZmHSP70-2, ZmHSP70-3, and other synonyms) on maize chromosome 1 encodes a member of the Hsp70 family of heat shock proteins, characterized by an ATPase nucleotide-binding domain and a peptide-binding domain. The encoded protein is associated with ATP-dependent protein folding chaperone activity, as well as calcium-dependent phospholipid binding, DXP-synthase activity, and ADP-ribosyl cyclase/cyclic ADP-ribose hydrolase activity. ZmERD2 is linked to numerous biological processes including acquisition of desiccation tolerance, induction of programmed cell death, response to humidity, ear development, shoot apical meristem development, and RuBisCO assembly. It is also associated with traits such as reproductive growth time, anthesis-silking interval, grain filling period, biomass yield, photosynthetic ability, carotenoid content, leaf relative water content, and responses to temperature, salt, chilling, and pathogen defense. The gene has been connected to the ER chaperone complex, mitochondrial outer membrane, and thylakoid lumen.