RAMOSA1 ENHANCER LOCUS 2 LIKE 2 (RELK2) (RELK2)

RAMOSA1 ENHANCER LOCUS 2 LIKE 2 (RELK2) is a transcriptional corepressor in maize (Zea mays) belonging to the highly conserved TOPLESS (TPL) family (Liu et al., 2019). It plays a critical role in plant development by regulating meristem maintenance and size through the repression of specific target genes, often in conjunction with other REL family members (Gregory et al., 2024). RELK2 is a key target of the biotrophic fungal pathogen Ustilago maydis, which secretes effector proteins such as Tip6 to recruit RELK2 and reprogram host transcription, leading to the formation of plant tumors known as smut (Huang et al., 2024). While not a human therapeutic target, RELK2 is of significant interest in agricultural biotechnology for its potential to be modulated to increase crop yield and enhance disease resistance. The protein functions as a molecular bridge, recruiting histone modifiers and other repressive machinery to silence gene expression in response to developmental and environmental cues (Liu et al., 2019). Loss of RELK2 and its paralogs leads to severe defects in vegetative and reproductive development, including the failure to maintain the shoot apical meristem (Gregory et al., 2024).

Other names

RAMOSA1 ENHANCER LOCUS 2-LIKE 2Topless-related 2TPL2Zm00001eb041440

No known pharmacological drugs; targeted by fungal effectors (e.g., Tip6, Tip7) to recruit the corepressor to host promoters and silence defense-related or growth-regulating genes.