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Genome-wide characterization of glycosyltransferases involved in C-glycosylation and the metabolism of small molecules in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis)

Subject Area Plant Biochemistry and Biophysics
Plant Physiology
Term from 2020 to 2023
Project identifier Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 431536455
 
Final Report Year 2023

Final Report Abstract

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are a group of enzymes that modify natural compounds by adding a sugar molecule to them, forming what is known as a glycoside. Glycosides typically exhibit increased solubility, increased stability, reduced volatility and thus different bioactivity properties, to their non-glycoside counterpart. Scientific interest in glycosylation is twofold, firstly as a function of plant physiology and secondarily as an application in biotechnology. GTs in plants carry out glycosylation, among others, as a way to supress or amplify chemical signals by changing their bioactivity, allowing the plant to adapt and respond to environmental changes. GTs in biotechnology offer a route for the production of stable flavour and fragrance compounds that can be released in a controlled manner, but also for the production of compounds for pharmaceuticals. GTs typically bind sugar molecules to natural compounds at oxygen groups (O-glycoside), but in rare cases at carbon groups (C-glycoside). The tea plant is one such plant that accumulates a significant amount of O- and C-glycosides, which among their physiological role also determine the aromatic qualities of its leaves. The aromatics in tea leaves and their use to brew tea makes it one of the most important agricultural crops and therefore, a plant of significant scientific interest. The aim of this project was to characterise the GTs of the tea plant and particularly identify C-glycosyltransferases. As part of the project, the German partner successfully isolated and cloned 49 GT genes and the Chinese partner about the same number. As a result, a GT library was available for the characterization of tea plant GTs. While no C-glycosyltransferase in the tea plant was identified to date as all catalytically active GTs showed O-glycosyltransferase activity, key findings included the isolation of tea GTs capable of producing menthol, nerolidol, salicylic acid, furaneol, and eugenol glucosides. Furthermore, tea plant GTs were isolated that were shown through in plant studies to be involved in cold and drought stress response and interplant communications. On the one hand these results provide biotechnological enzymes for flavour and fragrance production, and on the other hand they provide genetic targets for the engineering of stress resistant tea plants that will be able to face the climate and environmental challenges of the next decade.

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