NHX1 — Zea mays

Summary

ZM00001EB330030, designated ZmNHX1 on maize chromosome 7, encodes a sodium:hydrogen exchanger with potassium:proton antiporter and sodium transporter activities. The protein localises to the vacuolar membrane, vacuole, plastid, mitochondria and plasmalemma, and is associated with vacuolar membrane transport, sodium import, potassium ion transport, cell pH regulation, calcium signaling, nitrogen fixation, lipid modification and sucrose anabolism. ZmNHX1 has been linked to salinity tolerance, water use efficiency, net photosynthetic rate, leaf chlorophyll content, biomass yield, plant dry weight, seedling vigor, germination rate, root length, plant height, leaf relative water content, total soluble sugar content, stomatal resistance and leaf water potential. Associations also include plant growth, root growth, gravitropism, auxin homeostasis, flower development, vacuolar pH, potassium homeostasis, nitrogen assimilation and photosynthetic performance. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to potassium uptake, vacuolar pH homeostasis, ion homeostasis, cell expansion and heat tolerance.