H4 — Zea mays

Summary

ZmH4 (H4) on maize chromosome 2 encodes a core histone H4 protein, a structural constituent of chromatin with histone-fold and CENP-T/H4_C domains. It possesses histone acetylase, deacetylase, methylase, and DNA-binding activities, and is associated with chromatin decompaction, DNA replication licensing, telomeric silencing, mitosis, and sucrose breakdown. The gene is linked to numerous agronomically important traits including grain yield, plant height, flowering time, anthesis time, seed maturation, heterosis, heat and salinity tolerance, bacterial blight disease resistance, leaf and root morphology, shoot branching, and jasmonic acid content. It localizes to the nucleolus, thylakoid, chloroplast envelope, and various chromatin-modifying complexes. Studies of related genes in other species connect the H4 family to circadian rhythm, ABA response, disease resistance, and seed germination.