Cold Stress-induced Glucosyltransferase CsUGT78A15 is Involved in the Formation of Eugenol Glucoside in Camellia sinensis

Mingyue Zhao; Binbin Cai; Jieyang Jin; Na Zhang; Tingting Jing; Jingming Wang; Yuting Pan; Zixiang Zhou; Yifan Zhao; Yingying Feng; Feng Yu; Mengting Zhang; Yating Li; Zhonghua Liu; Chuankui Song

Horticultural Plant Journal (Nov 2020)

Cold Stress-induced Glucosyltransferase CsUGT78A15 is Involved in the Formation of Eugenol Glucoside in Camellia sinensis

Mingyue Zhao,
Binbin Cai,
Jieyang Jin,
Na Zhang,
Tingting Jing,
Jingming Wang,
Yuting Pan,
Zixiang Zhou,
Yifan Zhao,
Yingying Feng,
Feng Yu,
Mengting Zhang,
Yating Li,
Zhonghua Liu,
Chuankui Song

Affiliations

Mingyue Zhao: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Binbin Cai: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Jieyang Jin: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Na Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Tingting Jing: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Jingming Wang: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Yuting Pan: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Zixiang Zhou: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Yifan Zhao: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Yingying Feng: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Feng Yu: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Mengting Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Yating Li: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Zhonghua Liu: Key Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Functional Ingredients from Botanicals, College of Horticulture, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
Chuankui Song: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, International Joint Laboratory on Tea Chemistry and Health Effects, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 6, no. 6
pp. 439 – 449

Abstract

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Eugenol is a natural phenolic compound known for its health-promoting properties and its ability to add a floral scent to tea plants. Plant eugenol glycosides have been identified and shown to make important contributions to fruit floral quality. However, the details of their biosynthesis and metabolism in tea plants are still unknown. Here, eugenol glucoside was unambiguously identified as a native metabolite in the tea plant, and its biosynthesis was shown to be induced by low temperature treatment. Through the analysis of UGTs induced by low temperature, the glycosyltransferase CsUGT78A15 was identified in tea, and its encoded protein was shown to catalyze the glucosylation of eugenol. Vmax/Km ratios showed that eugenol was the most suitable substrate for CsUGT78A15. Sugar donor preference analysis showed that CsUGT78A15 had a higher selectivity for glucose, followed by galactose and glucuronic acid. The expression of CsUGT78A15 was correlated with the accumulation of eugenol glucoside in different tissues and genotypes of tea. Down-regulation of CsUGT78A15 led to a decreased eugenol glucoside content under cold stress, indicating that CsUGT78A15 plays an important role in the biosynthesis of eugenol glucoside under cold stress. The identification of eugenol glucoside in the tea plant and the discovery of a cold stress-induced eugenol glucosyltransferase in tea provide the foundation for the improvement of tea flavor under cold stress and the biotechnological production of eugenol glucoside.

Published in Horticultural Plant Journal

ISSN: 2095-9885 (Print); 2468-0141 (Online)
Publisher: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
Country of publisher: China
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Plant culture
Website: https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/horticultural-plant-journal/

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