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Results for “SABATH methyltransferase”

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PubMed2026

Domestication-associated reduction of methyl salicylate in tomato root and its significance for resistance to root-knot nematode.

Methyl salicylate (MeSA) plays diverse roles in the aerial parts of plants. By contrast, its biosynthesis and function in roots remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated root MeSA biosynthesis and function in tomato. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed using root MeSA levels as the phenotype in a diversity panel of 167 accessions to identify associated loci. Candidate genes were biochemically characterized, and the role of MeSA in defense against root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita) was evaluated using transgenic plants. MeSA was identified as a major root volatile in tomato and showed a domestication-associated reduction. GWAS revealed multiple loci associated with natural variation in root MeSA, including a major locus on Chromosome 9 encoding the salicylic acid methyltransferase (SlSAMT). SlSAMT-overexpressing plants showed reduced resistance to RKNs, whereas SlSAMT-knockdown plants exhibited enhanced resistance. Our results suggest complex roles of MeSA and the salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway in belowground plant defense. The SA signaling pathway likely plays critical roles in protecting roots against diverse natural enemies, including RKNs. Nevertheless, RKNs appear to have co-opted MeSA as a host-location signal, and the domestication-associated reduction of root MeSA in tomato has likely contributed to enhanced resistance against RKNs.

Solanum lycopersicum↗

PubMed2005

An Arabidopsis thaliana methyltransferase capable of methylating farnesoic acid.

We previously reported the identification of a new family of plant methyltransferases (MTs), named the SABATH family, that use S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) to methylate a carboxyl moiety or a nitrogen-containing functional group on a diverse array of plant compounds. The Arabidopsis genome alone contains 24 distinct SABATH genes. To identify the catalytic specificities of members of this protein family in Arabidopsis, we screened recombinantly expressed and purified enzymes with a large number of potential substrates. Here,we report that the Arabidopsis thaliana gene At3g44860 encodes a protein with high catalytic specificity towards farnesoic acid (FA). Under steady-state conditions, this farnesoic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (FAMT) exhibits KM values of 41 and 71 microM for FA and SAM, respectively. A three-dimensional model of FAMT constructed based upon similarity to the experimentally determined structure of Clarkia breweri salicylic acid methyltransferase (SAMT) suggests a reasonable model for FA recognition in the FAMT active site. In planta, the mRNA levels of At3g44860 increase in response to the exogenous addition of several compounds previously shown to induce plant defense responses at the transcriptional level. Although methyl farnesoate (MeFA) has not yet been detected in Arabidopsis, the presence of a FA-specific carboxyl methyltransferase in Arabidopsis capable of producing MeFA, an insect juvenile hormone made by some plants as a presumed defense against insect herbivory, suggests that MeFA or chemically similar compounds are likely to serve as new specialized metabolites in Arabidopsis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗