The <i>VAR1</i> locus of <i>Arabidopsis</i> encodes a chloroplastic FtsH and is responsible for leaf variegation in the mutant alleles

Abstract

VAR1 and VAR2 comprise an FtsH small gene family together with other FtsH genes in Arabidopsis. VAR1 as well as VAR2 may play an important role in degrading photodamaged subunits in photosystem II. Loss of VAR1 and VAR2 perhaps impairs the photoprotection mechanism and thylakoid development, causing leaf variegation as a consequence.