A multifunctional true caffeoyl coenzyme A O-methyltransferase enzyme participates in the biosynthesis of polymethoxylated flavones in citrus

Polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) have received extensive attention due to their abundant bioactivities. Citrus peels specifically accumulate abundant PMFs, and methylation modification is a key step in PMF biosynthesis; however, the function of reported O-methyltransferase (OMT) in citrus is insufficient to elucidate the complete methylation process of PMFs. In this study, we analyzed the accumulation pattern of PMFs in the flavedo of the sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) cultivar “Bingtangcheng” at different developmental stages. We found that accumulation of PMFs was completed at the early stage of fruit development (60-d after flowering). Furthermore, we characterized a true caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (named CsCCoAOMT1) from C. sinensis. Functional analysis in vitro showed that CsCCoAOMT1 preferred flavonoids to caffeoyl-CoA and esculetin. This enzyme efficiently methylated the 6-, 7- 8-, and 3′-OH of a wide array of flavonoids with vicinal hydroxyl groups with a strong preference for quercetin (flavonol) and flavones. The transient overexpression and virus-induced gene silencing experiments verified that CsCCoAOMT1 could promote the accumulation of PMFs in citrus. These results reveal the function of true CCoAOMTs and indicate that CsCCoAOMT1 is a highly efficient multifunctional O-methyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of PMFs in citrus.