4CL1 — Zea mays

Summary

ZM00001EB233720 (Zm4CL1) on maize chromosome 5 encodes a protein with 4-coumarate-CoA ligase, benzoate-CoA ligase, trans-feruloyl-CoA synthase, (E)-caffeate-CoA ligase, and trans-cinnamate-CoA ligase activities (EC 6.2.1.12). The protein contains AMP-binding and CoA-ligase domains and localises to the cytosol. Zm4CL1 is associated with cinnamic acid and ferulate metabolism, cell wall thickening, wound healing, pigment accumulation, and biological regulation. It is linked to numerous agronomic traits including lignin and cellulose content, stem and culm strength, brittle culm, biomass and forage yield, grain colour, length and width, leaf area index and angle, tassel branch number, seed shattering, water use efficiency, net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, starch and anthocyanin content, and cytoplasmic male sterility. Studies of related genes in other species further connect this gene family to CoA-ligase activities (EC 6.2.1.25, 6.2.1.34).