GS1 — Zea mays

Summary

ZmGS1 (ZM00001EB253820) on maize chromosome 5 encodes a glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) with a Gln_synt_N domain and a Gln_synth_cat_dom catalytic domain. The enzyme is associated with nitrogen metabolism, including nitrate assimilation, ammonia assimilation, nitrogen fixation and utilization, as well as ear development, autophagy, and the TCA cycle. It has been linked to numerous agronomic traits: grain yield, grain number, grain weight, harvest index, ear number, anthesis-silking interval, grain-filling period, protein and amino acid content, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic rate, root dry weight, and responses to salt and abscisic acid. The protein localizes to chloroplast thylakoid and envelope, cytosol, vacuole, plasmodesmata, and the apoplast. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to drought and salt tolerance, seedling vigour, and nitrogen remobilization.