COMT — Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris

Summary

BvCOMT (BVRB_5G109500) on sugar beet chromosome 5 encodes a methyltransferase with inositol 4-methyltransferase, caffeate O-methyltransferase, and multiple flavonoid O-methyltransferase activities. The gene is associated with lignin, flavonol, coumarin, indole glucosinolate, serotonin, and melatonin biosynthesis, as well as inositol metabolism, anthocyanin regulation, and responses to UV, freezing, and mannitol. It has been linked to leaf vein morphology, photosynthetic rate, viral disease response, cell growth, and traits including resistance to root-knot nematode, oxalic acid resistance, alkaline stress tolerance, and vascular development. The product localises to the nucleus, cytosol, plastid, plasmalemma, plasmodesma, cell wall, and stress granules. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to sinapoyl ester content and lignin composition, as well as salt, cold, and Botrytis cinerea tolerance.