PME — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SlPME (SOLYC10G049450.2) on tomato chromosome 10 encodes a protein with a pectinesterase catalytic domain and is annotated with pectinesterase activity and pectinesterase inhibitor activity. This gene is associated with pectin metabolism, cell wall modification, cell-cell adhesion, fruit abscission, and methanol anabolism. It has been linked to fruit firmness, fruit color, fruit weight and size, lycopene content, sugar content, and photosynthetic rate, as well as to cytoplasmic male sterility and cellulose content. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to traits such as amylose content, lignin content, stem elongation, and root length.