Genome-wide identification, Expression Profiling, and Protein Interaction Analysis of the CCoAOMT Gene Family in the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis)

Abstract

Abstract Background The caffeoyl-CoA-O methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) family is a key enzyme in the oxidative methylation of phenolic substances and is involved in many plant processes, such as growth, development, and stress response. However, the interactions between CCoAOMT protein members in tea plants are limited. Results In this study, 10 CsCCoAOMT members with conserved gene structures and motifs were identified based on the genome of Camellia sinensis (cultivar ‘HuangDan’). CsCCoAOMT was located on six different chromosomes (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 14). The phylogenetic relationship divided CsCCoAOMT into two groups, including I and II, the CsCCoAOMT of Ia was identified as likely to include candidate genes involved in lignin biosynthesis. In addition, the CsCCoAOMT family member protein interaction networks established by the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) assay showed 9 pairs of members with interaction relationships. Conclusions We identified the CCoAOMT gene family in Camellia sinensis and systematically investigated their classifications, phylogenetic and synteny relationships, gene structures, protein interactions, tissue-specific, and stresses-responsive expression patterns. Our results will provide insights into the evolution and composition of CsCCoAOMT, the CCoAOMT interaction found in this study suggests the potential formation of the O-methyltransferase (OMT) complex in the methylation modification process, which may extend our knowledge of this gene family’s functions in diverse biological processes.