COMT — Capsicum annuum

Summary

T459_18427 (CaCOMT) on pepper chromosome 6 encodes a protein with COMT-like and SAM-dependent methyltransferase domains and a winged helix DNA-binding domain. The enzyme exhibits multiple O-methyltransferase activities, including toward rhamnetin, kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin, and caffeate. CaCOMT is associated with lignin, flavonol, coumarin, indole glucosinolate, serotonin, and melatonin metabolism, as well as responses to UV, freezing, and mannitol. It has been linked to leaf vein morphology, lignin content, photosynthetic rate, viral disease response, and cell growth traits. Localization evidence connects the protein to the cytosol, nucleus, plastid, plasmodesma, plant-type cell wall, and stress granules. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to sinapoyl ester content and lignin composition, as well as to salt, cold, and Botrytis cinerea tolerance.