Coniferyl alcohol 9-O-methyltransferase from Linum nodiflorum (Linaceae) catalyzes the unusual methylation of the side-chain hydroxyl group of coniferyl alcohol. The protein was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli as a hexahistidine derivative and purified for crystallization. Diffracting
A novel 41 kDa methyltransferase displaying high regiospecificity towards the allylic hydroxyl moiety of coniferyl alcohol was cloned from suspension cultures of Linum nodiflorum L. and expressed in E. coli. The apparent K (m) for coniferyl alcohol is 7.23 microM with a V (max) of 707.5 pkat mg(-1)