CCOMT — Medicago truncatula

Summary

MTR_4G085590 (symbol CCOMT, preferred name MtCCOAOMT1) on barrel medic chromosome 4 encodes a caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase with SAM-dependent methyltransferase activity and metal binding. The gene is associated with lignin and coumarin anabolism, phenylpropanoid metabolism, cell wall thickening, xylem development, and cellulose anabolism. It is linked to responses to salt stress, bacterial defence, circadian rhythm, and ABA signaling. Associations include lignin content, amino acid content, drought tolerance, oxidative stress tolerance, salt stress adaptation, and resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum. The encoded protein localises to the cytosol, nucleus, endomembrane system, and plasma membrane. Studies of related genes in other species link the CCOMT family to defence responses, xylem transport, reduced lignin content, increased saccharification yield, and susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae.