H3.3 — Zea mays

Summary

ZM00001EB378250, also known as ZmH3.3, encodes a histone H3/CENP-A family protein on maize chromosome 9. The product is a structural constituent of chromatin with histone methylase, acetylase, and methylated DNA binding activities. It is associated with centromere and kinetochore assembly, meiotic progression including prophase I and chromosome separation, spindle checkpoint control, and centromeric silencing. The gene is linked to numerous traits including leaf trichome density, bacterial and aphid response, nitrogen sensitivity, cytokinin and brassinosteroid sensitivity, inflorescence and flower development, pollen fertility restoration, cytoplasmic male sterility, callus induction, anthocyanin content, and high temperature stress response. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to centromere identity, haploid production, male and female germline development, and uniparental genome elimination.