COMT — Sorghum bicolor

Summary

SORBI_3001G346800, designated COMT, encodes a caffeate O-methyltransferase with additional O-methyltransferase activities toward tricetin, quercetin, myricetin, flavone, and acetylserotonin, and also carries domains characteristic of COMT dimerisation and a winged-helix DNA-binding superfamily. In sorghum, the gene is associated with serotonin and indole glucosinolate metabolism, regulation of anthocyanin metabolism, flavonol biosynthesis, melatonin anabolism, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. It has been linked to lignin content and composition, sugar content, leaf vein morphology, cell growth and development, viral disease response, and reproductive period. Localisation evidence connects the product to the plant-type cell wall, plasmodesma, plastid, cytosol, nucleus, and stress granules. Studies of related genes in other species link the COMT family to forage yield, stem strength, biomass yield, drought sensitivity, and grain traits.