COMT — Brachypodium distachyon

Summary

BdCOMT (BRADI_1G14870V3) on chromosome 1 of Brachypodium distachyon encodes a protein with COMT-like and SAM-dependent methyltransferase domains, and it has annotated O-methyltransferase activities toward caffeate, xanthotoxol, tricetin, quercetin, myricetin, and flavones, as well as protein dimerization and phosphorylated amino acid binding activities. The gene is associated with secondary metabolite biosynthesis including coumarin, flavonol, indole glucosinolate, and melatonin anabolism, regulation of anthocyanin metabolism, and responses to UV, freezing, hydrogen peroxide, and mannitol. It is linked to lignin content, leaf vein morphology, cell growth and development, reproductive period, IAA content, and viral disease response. Localization evidence places the product in the cytosol, nucleus, plastid, plasmodesma, plant-type cell wall, and stress granule. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to lignin composition, grain yield, stem strength, drought sensitivity, and biomass yield.