COMT — Capsicum annuum

Summary

T459_25157 (CaCOMT/COMT) on pepper chromosome 10 encodes a protein with COMT-like dimerisation and SAM-dependent methyltransferase domains, and has multiple methyltransferase activities, including xanthotoxol O-methyltransferase, flavone 3′-O-methyltransferase, quercetin 3-O-methyltransferase, and acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase activities. The gene is associated with lignin, coumarin, flavonol, anthocyanin, 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. Associations also include callus formation, guaiacol production, root-knot nematode resistance, alkaline stress tolerance, and premature senescence. The protein localises to the cytosol, nucleus, plastid, plasmalemma, plasmodesma, stress granule, and plant-type cell wall. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to drought tolerance, salt tolerance, cold tolerance, thermotolerance, Botrytis cinerea resistance, and photosynthesis.