OPT — Zea mays

Summary

ZM00001EB057440 (ZmOPT, also known as ZmOPT3) on maize chromosome 1 encodes an oligopeptide transporter family protein with transition metal ion and oligopeptide transmembrane transporter activity. The gene is associated with xylem-to-phloem iron transport, zinc import, multicellular organismal iron ion homeostasis, bud dormancy, meristem determinacy, carpel development, regulation of photosynthesis, auxin transport, carbohydrate transport, starch metabolism and breakdown, amino acid breakdown, pectin anabolism, mitosis, and translation initiation. The protein localises to the plasmodesma, membrane, plasmalemma, cytosol, and cytoplasm. ZmOPT has been linked to grain yield, grain number, grain weight, plant height, leaf angle, tiller number, inflorescence branching, starch content, photosynthetic rate, crop stand, drought tolerance, and hybrid incompatibility. Related genes in other species are associated with iron homeostasis, cadmium partitioning, seed iron content, and embryo development.