Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development

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...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yufeng Shi, Xiaolan Jiang, Linbo Chen, Wei-Wei Li, Sanyan Lai, Zhouping Fu, Yajun Liu, Yumei Qian, Liping Gao, Tao Xia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.753131/full
_version_ 1824031624053915648
author Yufeng Shi
Xiaolan Jiang
Linbo Chen
Wei-Wei Li
Sanyan Lai
Zhouping Fu
Yajun Liu
Yumei Qian
Liping Gao
Tao Xia
author_facet Yufeng Shi
Xiaolan Jiang
Linbo Chen
Wei-Wei Li
Sanyan Lai
Zhouping Fu
Yajun Liu
Yumei Qian
Liping Gao
Tao Xia
author_sort Yufeng Shi
collection DOAJ
description 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.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T18:55:38Z
format Article
id doaj.art-bc16402a60c246dd9fb1c0014d2a5969
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-462X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T18:55:38Z
publishDate 2021-10-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Plant Science
spelling doaj.art-bc16402a60c246dd9fb1c0014d2a59692022-12-21T20:09:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2021-10-011210.3389/fpls.2021.753131753131Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther DevelopmentYufeng Shi0Xiaolan Jiang1Linbo Chen2Wei-Wei Li3Sanyan Lai4Zhouping Fu5Yajun Liu6Yumei Qian7Liping Gao8Tao Xia9State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaTea Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yunnan Engineering Research Center of Tea Germplasm Innovation and Matching Cultivation, Menghai, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaSchool of Biological and Food Engineering, Suzhou University, Suzhou, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, ChinaFlavonoids, 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.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.753131/fullCamellia sinensisflower developmentflower sterilityflavonolsflavonol synthase
spellingShingle Yufeng Shi
Xiaolan Jiang
Linbo Chen
Wei-Wei Li
Sanyan Lai
Zhouping Fu
Yajun Liu
Yumei Qian
Liping Gao
Tao Xia
Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development
Frontiers in Plant Science
Camellia sinensis
flower development
flower sterility
flavonols
flavonol synthase
title Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development
title_full Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development
title_fullStr Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development
title_full_unstemmed Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development
title_short Functional Analyses of Flavonol Synthase Genes From Camellia sinensis Reveal Their Roles in Anther Development
title_sort functional analyses of flavonol synthase genes from camellia sinensis reveal their roles in anther development
topic Camellia sinensis
flower development
flower sterility
flavonols
flavonol synthase
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.753131/full
work_keys_str_mv AT yufengshi functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT xiaolanjiang functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT linbochen functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT weiweili functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT sanyanlai functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT zhoupingfu functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT yajunliu functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT yumeiqian functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT lipinggao functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment
AT taoxia functionalanalysesofflavonolsynthasegenesfromcamelliasinensisrevealtheirrolesinantherdevelopment