User:Marylschaef/bif2

bif2 barren inflorescence2 gene in Maize
Function Regulation of auxin transport during axillary meristem and lateral organ initiation.

Summary The bif2 mutation affects all axillary meristems in the plant. The tassel has fewer branches, spikelets, florets and floral organs (McSteen and Hake 2001). The ear shoot, if it forms, has very few kernels. The mutant plants also have defects in vegetative development as they make fewer tillers (in a tb1 mutant background) and make one or two fewer leaves than normal. The bif2 gene encodes a serine threonine portein kinase (McSteen et al 2007) that phosphorylates auxin efflux carrier ZmPIN1a (Skirpan et al 2008)  and BHLH transcription factor BARREN STALK1 (Skirpan et al 2008). Natural variation in bif2 alleles are associated with tassel branch number and plant height (Pressoir et al 2009).

First report Briggs SP and Johal G (1992) MNL 66:51.

Key alleles

Chromosome Location Based on AB chromosomal translocation data and tight linkage to the RFLP marker umc67a (McSteen and Hake 2001). The 2010 B73_v2 maize reference genome sequence assembly is consistent with the linkage data.

Gene Product serine/threonine protein kinase co-orthologous to PINOID (PID); phosphorylates PIN1a (Skirpan et al 2009) and BA2 (Skirpan et al 2008).