A functional study reveals CsNAC086 regulated the biosynthesis of flavonols in Camellia sinensis

• Published in: Planta 2024-06, Vol.259 (6), p.147-147, Article 147
• Main Authors: Song, Sa-Sa, Ran, Wei-Xi, Gao, Long-Han, Wang, Yu-Chun, Lv, Wu-Yun, Tao, Yu, Chen, Liang, Li, Chun-Fang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Antisense oligonucleotides; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosynthesis; Camellia sinensis; Camellia sinensis - genetics; Camellia sinensis - metabolism; Cultivars; Ecology; Flavonoids; Flavonols; Flavonols - biosynthesis; Flavonols - metabolism; Forestry; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Life Sciences; Nicotiana - genetics; Nicotiana - metabolism; Oligonucleotides; Original Article; Oxidoreductases - genetics; Oxidoreductases - metabolism; Plant breeding; Plant Leaves - genetics; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Sciences; Plants, Genetically Modified; Tea; Tobacco; Transcription activation; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Yeast; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0032-0935; 1432-2048
• DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04426-x

Main conclusion CsNAC086 was found to promote the expression of CsFLS , thus promoting the accumulation of flavonols in Camellia sinensis. Flavonols, the main flavonoids in tea plants, play an important role in the taste and quality of tea. In this study, a NAC TF gene CsNAC086 was isolated from tea plants and confirmed its regulatory role in the expression of flavonol synthase which is a key gene involved in the biosynthesis of flavonols in tea plant. Yeast transcription-activity assays showed that CsNAC086 has self-activation activity. The transcriptional activator domain of CsNAC086 is located in the non-conserved C-terminal region (positions 171–550), while the conserved NAC domain (positions 1–170) does not have self-activation activity. Silencing the CsNAC086 gene using antisense oligonucleotides significantly decreased the expression of CsFLS . As a result, the concentration of flavonols decreased significantly. In overexpressing CsNAC086 tobacco leaves, the expression of NtFLS was significantly increased. Compared with wild-type tobacco, the flavonols concentration increased. Yeast one-hybrid assays showed CsNAC086 did not directly regulate the gene expression of CsFLS . These findings indicate that CsNAC086 plays a role in regulating flavonols biosynthesis in tea plants, which has important implications for selecting and breeding of high-flavonols-concentration containing tea-plant cultivars.