H3.3 — Zea mays

Summary

ZM00001EB243130 (H3.3, also known as ZmCENH3, ZmMGH3, or HTR8) on maize chromosome 5 encodes a histone H3/CENP-A family protein with histone-fold and structural chromatin constituent domains. The product is annotated with methyl-CpG, methyl-CpNpG, and methyl-CpNpN binding, euchromatin binding, nucleosomal DNA binding, and multiple histone methylase and acetylase activities. It is associated with centromere complex and chromocenter localization, and with processes including meiotic chromosome segregation, sister chromatid cohesion, spindle checkpoint, telomere assembly, rDNA packaging, and chromatin decompaction. Associations extend to agronomic traits such as ear length, panicle number, plant vigor, leaf trichome density, bacterial disease response, aphid response, nitrogen sensitivity, nitrate content, cytoplasmic male sterility, pollen fertility, hybrid incompatibility, and callus induction. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to centromere targeting, haploid production, uniparental genome elimination, and meiotic genome stability.