C4H — Brassica napus

Summary

BnC4H (C4H) on chromosome C04 of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) encodes a cytochrome P450 enzyme with trans-cinnamate 4-monooxygenase activity, iron and heme binding, and additional protein-binding capacity. The gene is associated with lignin, phenylpropanoid, glucosinolate, pigment, anthocyanin, ubiquinone, mucilage and hormone metabolism, as well as seed coat development, pigmentation, UV-A and UV-B responses, and post-translational modification. It has been linked to stem strength, flower, petal and seed color, anthocyanin content, drought tolerance, wound response, male fertility, plant growth, lignin deposition and content, lateral and adventitious root development, Casparian strip formation, auxin transport, and hyperhydricity. The protein localises to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, plasmalemma, nucleus, vacuole, cell wall, plasmodesmata and extracellular space. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to lignification, dwarfism, altered phenylpropanoid metabolism, resveratrol production, male sterility and abiotic stress adaptation.