PIP1 — Zea mays

Summary

ZmPIP1 (ZM00001EB306380) on maize chromosome 7 encodes an aquaporin, a plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) with channel activity and phospholipase D activity. It is associated with diverse biological processes including carbon dioxide transport, C4 photosynthesis, seed growth, hydrogen peroxide membrane transport, and cell cycle DNA replication. The gene has been linked to numerous agronomic traits such as root moisture content, leaf relative water content, turgor pressure, leaf elongation rate, aluminum tolerance, salt response, drought stress response, cold stress response, bacterial and downy mildew disease responses, and phosphorus and nitrate uptake. It localizes to the plasma membrane, plant-type cell wall, vacuole, chloroplast envelope, and microtubule cytoskeleton. Studies of related genes in other species connect this gene family to water transport, stomatal closure, drought tolerance, and root water uptake.