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Title: Phylogenetic, Molecular, and Biochemical Characterization of Caffeic Acid o -Methyltransferase Gene Family in Brachypodium distachyon

Journal Article · · International Journal of Plant Genomics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/423189· OSTI ID:1629942
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3]
  1. US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Albany, CA (United States). ARS-Central Great Plains Research Station. Western Regional Research Center; Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States). Dept. of Plant Sciences
  2. Shandong Agricultural Univ. (China). State Key Lab. of Crop Biology
  3. US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Albany, CA (United States). ARS-Central Great Plains Research Station. Western Regional Research Center

Caffeic acido-methyltransferase (COMT) is one of the important enzymes controlling lignin monomer production in plant cell wall synthesis. Analysis of the genome sequence of the new grass modelBrachypodium distachyonidentified four COMT gene homologs, designated asBdCOMT1, BdCOMT2, BdCOMT3,andBdCOMT4. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that they belong to the COMT gene family, whereas syntenic analysis through comparisons with rice and sorghum revealed thatBdCOMT4on Chromosome 3 is the orthologous copy of the COMT genes well characterized in other grass species. The other three COMT genes are unique toBrachypodiumsince orthologous copies are not found in the collinear regions of rice and sorghum genomes. Expression studies indicated that all fourBrachypodiumCOMT genes are transcribed but with distinct patterns of tissue specificity. Full-length cDNAs were cloned in frame into the pQE-T7 expression vector for the purification of recombinantBrachypodiumCOMT proteins. Biochemical characterization of enzyme activity and substrate specificity showed that BdCOMT4 has significant effect on a broad range of substrates with the highest preference for caffeic acid. The other three COMTs had low or no effect on these substrates, suggesting that a diversified evolution occurred on these duplicate genes that not only impacted their pattern of expression, but also altered their biochemical properties.

Research Organization:
Chicago Operations Office, Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division
DOE Contract Number:
A102-07ER64452
OSTI ID:
1629942
Journal Information:
International Journal of Plant Genomics, Vol. 2013; ISSN 1687-5370
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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