scholarly journals The Laccase Gene Family Mediate Multi-Perspective Trade-Offs during Tea Plant (Camellia Sinensis) Development and Defense Processes

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (22) ◽  
pp. 12554
Author(s):  
Yongchen Yu ◽  
Yuxian Xing ◽  
Fengjing Liu ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Xiwang Li ◽  
...  

Laccase (LAC) plays important roles in different plant development and defense processes. In this study, we identified laccase genes (CsLACs) in Camellia sinensis cv ‘Longjing43′ cultivars, which were classified into six subclades. The expression patterns of CsLACs displayed significant spatiotemporal variations across different tissues and developmental stages. Most members in subclades II, IV and subclade I exhibited contrasting expression patterns during leaf development, consistent with a trade-off model for preferential expression in the early and late developmental stages. The extensive transcriptional changes of CsLACs under different phytohormone and herbivore treatment were observed and compared, with the expression of most genes in subclades I, II and III being downregulated but genes in subclades IV, V and VI being upregulated, suggesting a growth and defense trade-off model between these subclades. Taken together, our research reveal that CsLACs mediate multi-perspective trade-offs during tea plant development and defense processes and are involved in herbivore resistance in tea plants. More in-depth research of CsLACs upstream regulation and downstream targets mediating herbivore defense should be conducted in the future.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yufeng Shi ◽  
Xiaolan Jiang ◽  
Linbo Chen ◽  
Wei-Wei Li ◽  
Sanyan Lai ◽  
...  

Flavonoids, including flavonol derivatives, are the main astringent compounds of tea and are beneficial to human health. Many researches have been conducted to comprehensively identify and characterize the phenolic compounds in the tea plant. However, the biological function of tea flavonoids is not yet understood, especially those accumulated in floral organs. In this study, the metabolic characteristics of phenolic compounds in different developmental stages of flower buds and various parts of the tea flower were investigated by using metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses. Targeted metabolomic analysis revealed varying accumulation patterns of different phenolic polyphenol compounds during flowering; moreover, the content of flavonol compounds gradually increased as the flowers opened. Petals and stamens were the main sites of flavone and flavonol accumulation. Compared with those of fertile flowers, the content of certain flavonols, such as kaempferol derivatives, in anthers of hybrid sterile flowers was significantly low. Transcriptomic analysis revealed different expression patterns of genes in the same gene family in tea flowers. The CsFLSb gene was significantly increased during flowering and was highly expressed in anthers. Compared with fertile flowers, CsFLSb was significantly downregulated in sterile flowers. Further functional verification of the three CsFLS genes indicated that CsFLSb caused an increase in flavonol content in transgenic tobacco flowers and that CsFLSa acted in leaves. Taken together, this study highlighted the metabolic properties of phenolic compounds in tea flowers and determined how the three CsFLS genes have different functions in the vegetative and reproductive organs of tea plants. Furthermore, CsFLSb could regulated flavonol biosynthesis in tea flowers, thus influencing fertility. This research is of great significance for balancing the reproductive growth and vegetative growth of tea plants.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1501000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Wei Deng ◽  
Min Li ◽  
Chen-Chen Gu ◽  
Da-Xiang Li ◽  
Lin-Long Ma ◽  
...  

Caffeine, a purine alkaloid, is a major secondary metabolite in tea leaves. The demand for low caffeine tea is increasing in recent years, especially for health reasons. We report a novel grafted tea material with low caffeine content. The grafted tea plant had Camellia sinensis as scions and C. oleifera as stocks. The content of purine alkaloids was determined in the leaves of one-year-old grafted tea plants by HPLC. We also characterized caffeine synthase (CS), a key enzyme involved in caffeine biosynthesis in tea plants, at the expression level. The expression patterns of CS were examined in grafted and control leaves by Western blot, using a self-prepared polyclonal antibody with high specificity and sensitivity. The expression of related genes ( TCS1, tea caffeine synthase gene, GenBank accession No. AB031280; sAMS, SAM synthetase gene, AJ277206; TIDH, IMP dehydrogenase gene, EU106658) in the caffeine biosynthetic pathway was investigated by qRT-PCR. HPLC showed that the caffeine content was only 38% as compared with the non-grafted tea leaves. Immunoblotting analysis showed that CS protein decreased by half in the leaves of grafted tea plants. qRT-PCR revealed no significant changes in the expression of two genes in the upstream pathway ( sAMS and TIDH), while the expression of TCS1 was greatly decreased (50%). Taken together, these data revealed that the low caffeine content in the grafted tea leaves is due to low TCS1 expression and CS protein accumulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuwei Yu ◽  
Penghui Li ◽  
Xuecheng Zhao ◽  
Mangmang Tan ◽  
Muhammad Zulfiqar Ahmad ◽  
...  

AbstractThe growth of leaves and biosynthesis of characteristic secondary metabolites are critically important for tea production and quality control. However, little is known about the coordinated regulation of leaf development and catechin biosynthesis in tea plants. Here, we reported that TCP TFs are involved in both catechin biosynthesis and leaf development. An integrated analysis of catechin profiling and CsTCP expression in different tissues of plants under various environmental conditions at different developmental stages indicated significant correlations between the transcript levels of CIN-type TCPs and catechin production. CIN-type CsTCP3 and CsTCP4 and PCF-type CsTCP14 interacted with the MYB-bHLH-WD40 repeat (MBW) complex by forming a CsTCP3-CsTT8 heterodimer and modulating the transactivation activity of the promoters of anthocyanin synthase (CsANS1) and anthocyanidin reductase (CsANR1). Four types of microRNA/target modules, miR319b/CsTCP3-4, miR164b/CsCUC, miR396/CsGRF-GIF, and miR165b/HD-ZIPIII ones, were also identified and characterized for their functions in the regulation of the development of tea plant shoot tips and leaf shape. The results of these modules were reflected by their different expression patterns in developing buds and leaves that had distinctly different morphologies in three different tea plant varieties. Their roles in the regulation of catechin biosynthesis were also further verified by manipulation of microRNA319b (miR319b), which targets the transcripts of CsTCP3 and CsTCP4. Thus, CsTCPs represent at least one of these important groups of TFs that can integrate tea plant leaf development together with secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Our study provides new insight into shoot tip development and catechin production in tea plants and lays a foundation for further mechanistic understanding of the regulation of tea plant leaf development and secondary metabolism.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Hui Sun ◽  
Chin-Ying Yang ◽  
Jason Tzen

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) contains abundant secondary metabolites, which are regulated by numerous enzymes. Hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) is involved in the biosynthesis pathways of polyphenols and flavonoids, and it can catalyze the transfer of hydroxyconnamoyl coenzyme A to substrates such as quinate, flavanol glycoside, or anthocyanins, thus resulting in the production of chlorogenic acid or acylated flavonol glycoside. In this study, the CsHCT gene was cloned from the Chin-Shin Oolong tea plant, and its protein functions and characteristics were analyzed. The full-length cDNA of CsHCT contains 1311 base pairs and encodes 436 amino acid sequences. Amino acid sequence was highly conserved with other HCTs from Arabidopsis thaliana, Populus trichocarpa, Hibiscus cannabinus, and Coffea canephora. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that CsHCT is highly expressed in the stem tissues of both tea plants and seedlings. The CsHCT expression level was relatively high at high altitudes. The abiotic stress experiment suggested that low temperature, drought, and high salinity induced CsHCT transcription. Furthermore, the results of hormone treatments indicated that abscisic acid (ABA) induced a considerable increase in the CsHCT expression level. This may be attributed to CsHCT involvement in abiotic stress and ABA signaling pathways.


HortScience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 651-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Zhang ◽  
Chen Shen ◽  
Jipeng Wei ◽  
Wenyan Han

6-Benzyladenine (6-BA) is a safe and efficient cytokinin. The adult tea plants of the cv. Longjing 43 were used in this study. The foliar portion of tea bushes were sprayed with different concentrations (50, 100, 200, or 400 mg·L−1) of 6-BA after heavy pruning, when three to four leaves grew out in late May. The effects of 6-BA application on the growth of the new shoots and lateral branches were quantified. After 5 months, treatments with 50, 100, 200, or 400 mg·L−1 6-BA suppressed plant height by 11.0%, 18.0%, 21.0%, or 22.0%, respectively; 6-BA at 100, 200, or 400 mg·L−1 decreased the number of lateral branches by 20.0%, 23.0%, or 18.0%, respectively. Meanwhile, treatments with 50, 200, or 400 mg·L−1 6-BA increased the length of lateral branches by 38.0%, 79.0%, or 81.0% respectively; 200 mg·L−1 6-BA increased the diameter of lateral branches by 8.0%. In addition, after 2 months, 50 or 200 mg·L−1 6-BA did not significantly affect the growth of functional leaves, 50, 100, or 200 mg·L−1 6-BA did not significantly affect photosynthetic rate (Pn) as compared with the control. Furthermore, 200 or 400 mg·L−1 6-BA significantly increased spring tea yield by 28.9% or 13.3%, respectively as compared with the control. In conclusion, 6-BA at the four concentrations promoted dwarfing and the formation of productive lateral branches and increased the spring yield, and 200 mg·L−1 6-BA exerted the best comprehensive effect.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (16) ◽  
pp. 5684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaochen Zhou ◽  
Lanting Zeng ◽  
Yingjuan Chen ◽  
Xuewen Wang ◽  
Yinyin Liao ◽  
...  

In tea (Camellia sinensis) plants, polyphenols are the representative metabolites and play important roles during their growth. Among tea polyphenols, catechins are extensively studied, while very little attention has been paid to other polyphenols such as gallic acid (GA) that occur in tea leaves with relatively high content. In this study, GA was able to be transformed into methyl gallate (MG), suggesting that GA is not only a precursor of catechins, but also can be transformed into other metabolites in tea plants. GA content in tea leaves was higher than MG content—regardless of the cultivar, plucking month or leaf position. These two metabolites occurred with higher amounts in tender leaves. Using nonaqueous fractionation techniques, it was found that GA and MG were abundantly accumulated in peroxisome. In addition, GA and MG were found to have strong antifungal activity against two main tea plant diseases, Colletotrichum camelliae and Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis. The information will advance our understanding on formation and biologic functions of polyphenols in tea plants and also provide a good reference for studying in vivo occurrence of specialized metabolites in economic plants.


Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuhe Wan ◽  
Lvjia Zou ◽  
Liang Zeng ◽  
HuaRong Tong ◽  
Yingjuan Chen

Brown blight, as the most damaging and common foliar disease of tea plant [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] in China, has been recently reported to be caused by different species of the genus Colletotrichum. During the years 2016–2017, tea plants in commercial tea cultivation areas of Chongqing city that reported significant incidences of brown blight disease were investigated and then analyzed using both morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis. The results showed that at least five species of Colletotrichum were identified, including four well known species (C. gloeosporioides, C. camelliae, C. fioriniae, C. karstii) and one novel species (C. chongqingense), indicating that there is remarkable species diversity in Colletotrichum present as pathogens. Results of pathogenicity analyses confirmed that C. chongqingense was the causal agent of brown blight and different isolates were differ in virulence. C. chongqingense, as a novel pathogen, has never been reported as being associated with brown blight disease in tea plants or anthracnose in other host plants anywhere in the world. Knowledge of the Colletotrichum populations will facilitate further studies addressing the relationships between Colletotrichum spp. and their host plant Ca. sinensis.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liuyuan Shui ◽  
Meilin Yan ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
Pu Wang ◽  
Hua Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract Tea plant(Camellia sinensis) has very long history of cultivation and abundant germplasm resources in China. Purple bud is a characteristic variety, which has attracted the attention of breeding researchers because it accumulated a large number of anthocyanins naturally. In many species, R2R3-MYBtranscription factors (TFs)wereprovedto be involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis.Research on anthocyanin metabolism has been relatively clear in some species, but that needs to be further elucidated in tea plants. In this research, anR2R3-MYB transcriptionfactor CsMYB113 relate to the anthocyanin accumulation regulation was identified from tea plants. Spatial and temporal expressionanalysis revealed differential expression of CsMYB113among different tissues and organs, with highest expression occurringin the roots.Subcellular localization assays showed that CsMYB113 localizedin the nucleus.Ectopic expression of CsMYB113increased pigmentation and anthocyanin contentsby the up-regulationof theexpression levelsof genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis pathwayamongdifferent tissues of Arabidopsis.Moreover, transient overexpressionof 35S::CsMYB113in tea plant increased the anthocyanin contents in the leaves.Our results indicated that CsMYB113 play important role in the anthocyaninbiosynthesis regulation in tea plants. It will also provide useful candidate gene for the modification of anthocyanin metabolism by genetic engineeringin plants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-145
Author(s):  
Rochmah Supriati ◽  
Helmiyetti Helmiyetti ◽  
Dwi Agustian

Lichen is a mutualism symbiotic organism between fungi (mycobiont) and photosynthetic symbiont in the form of algae (photobiont). It can be found from the lowlands to the highlands, growing epiphytically on soil, rocks, weathered wood, and tree bark, as shown on surface of the tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) in The PT Sarana Mandiri Mukti Tea plantation in Kepahiang regency, Bengkulu Province. The purpose of this research was to identify and find out the species of epiphytic lichens on the tea plant in this place. The study was conducted in May–November 2019. Samples was collected purposively, by taken ephyphitic lichens growth on the bark of tea plants stems. Then, samples was identified based on morphological characteristics at the Basic Science Biosystematics Laboratory, FMIPA University of Bengkulu. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. It was identified as many as 35 species of lichens from the Ascomycota division, belonged to three classes, six orders, 11 families; those are  Graphidaaceae, Stereocaulaceae, Parmeliaceae, Lecanoraceae, Malmideaeceae, Pertusariaceae, Teloschistaceae, Caliciaceae, Physciaceae, Arthoniaceae, dan Pyrenulaceae. 23 species have crustose type thalus and 12 species have foliose type thalus.  


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