Genetic analyses of ancient tea trees provide insights into the breeding history and dissemination of Chinese Assam tea(Camellia sinensis var.assamica)

Chinese Assam tea(Camellia sinensis var.assamica)is an important tea crop with a long history of cultivation in Yunnan,China.Despite its potential value as a genetic resource,its genetic diversity and domestication/breeding history remain unclear.To address this issue,we genotyped 469 ancient tea plant trees representing 26 C.sinensis var.assamica populations,plus two of its wild relatives(six and three populations of C.taliensis and C.crassicolumna,respectively)using 16 nuclear microsatellite loci.Results showed that Chinese Assam tea has a relatively high,but comparatively lower gene diversity(H_(S)=0.638)than the wild relative C.crassicolumna(H_S=0.658).Clustering in STRUCTURE indicated that Chinese Assam tea and its two wild relatives formed distinct genetic groups,with considerable interspecific introgression.The Chinese Assam tea accessions clustered into three gene pools,corresponding well with their geographic distribution.However,New Hybrids analysis indicated that 68.48%of ancient Chinese Assam tea plants from Xishuangbanna were genetic intermediates between the Puer and Lincang gene pools.In addition,10%of the ancient Chinese Assam tea individuals were found to be hybrids between Chinese Assam tea and C.taliensis.Our results suggest that Chinese Assam tea was domesticated separately in three gene pools(Puer,Lincang and Xishuangbanna)in the Mekong River valley and that the hybrids were subsequently selected during the domestication process.Although the domestication history of Chinese Assam tea in southwestern Yunnan remains complex,our results will help to identify valuable genetic resources that may be useful in future tea breeding programs.

Ploidy and fruit trait variation in oil-tea Camellia:Implications for ploidy breeding

Plant polyploidy often occurs in conjunction with higher yield and superior quality.Therefore,obtaining polyploid germplasms is a significant part of breeding.The oil-tea Camellia tree is an important native woody plant that produces high-quality edible oil and includes many species of Camellia with different ploidies.However,whether higher ploidy levels in oil-tea Camellia trees are related to better traits remains unclear.In this study,the ploidy levels of 30 different oil-tea Camellia strains in three different species in the Sect.Paracamellia were determined by flow cytometry and chromosome preparation,and the phenotypic characteristics and fatty acid compositions of the fruits were examined by field observations and laboratory analyses.The correlations between the ploidy level of oil-tea Camellia and the main traits of the fruit were investigated.Our results showed that 10 Camellia lanceoleosa strains were diploid,10 Camellia meiocarpa strains were tetraploid and 10 Camellia oleifera strains were hexaploid.Hexaploid C.oleifera had larger fruit size and weight,more seeds per fruit,greater seed weight per fruit,higher oil content and greater yield per crown width than tetraploid C.meiocarpa and diploid C.lanceoleosa,but their fruit peel thickness and fresh seed rate were significantly lower,and these traits were significantly correlated with ploidy level.In addition,in terms of fatty acid composition,hexaploid C.oleifera had a higher oleic acid content than tetraploid C.meiocarpa and diploid C.lanceoleosa,but their linoleic acid,linolenic acid and arachidonic acid contents were lower.The contents of palmitic acid,stearic acid and total unsaturated fatty acids were not significantly correlated with ploidy level.In conclusion,certain correlations exist between the main characteristics of oil-tea Camellia fruit and the ploidy level,and increasing the ploidy level led to an increase in fruit yield with no effect on oil composition.The discovery of variations in the main characteristics of oil-tea Camellia fruit with different ploidies will facilitate germplasm innovation and lay a foundation for ploidy breeding and mechanistic research on fruit traits.

Correlation and Pathway Analysis of the Carbon,Nitrogen,and Phosphorus in Soil-Microorganism-Plant with Main Quality Components of Tea(Camellia sinensis)

The contents of carbon(C),nitrogen(N),and phosphorus(P)in soil-microorganisms-plant significantly affect tea quality by altering the main quality components of tea,such as tea polyphenols,amino acids,and caffeine.However,few studies have quantified the effects of these factors on the main quality components of tea.The study aimed to explore the interactions of C,N,and P in soil-microorganisms-plants and the effects of these factors on the main quality components of tea by using the path analysis method.The results indicated that(1)The contents of C,N,and P in soil,microorganisms,and tea plants were highly correlated and collinear,and showed significant correlations with the main quality components of tea.(2)Optimal regression equations were established to esti-mate tea polyphenol,amino acid,catechin,caffeine,and water extract content based on C,N,and P contents in soil,microorganisms,and tea plants(R^(2)=0.923,0.726,0.954,0.848,and 0.883,respectively).(3)Pathway analysis showed that microbial biomass phosphorus(MBP),root phosphorus,branch nitrogen,and microbial biomass carbon(MBC)were the largest direct impact factors on tea polyphenol,catechin,water extracts,amino acid,and caffeine content,respectively.Leaf carbon,root phosphorus,and leaf nitrogen were the largest indirect impact factors on tea polyphenol,catechin,and water extract content,respectively.Leaf carbon indirectly affected tea polyphenol content mainly by altering MBP content.Root phosphorus indirectly affected catechin content mainly by altering soil organic carbon content.Leaf nitrogen indirectly affected water extract content mainly by altering branch nitrogen content.The research results provide the scientific basis for reasonable fertilization in tea gardens and tea quality improvement.

Analysis of NPK in Camellia sinensis, Gliricidia sepium, and Musa acuminata Biomasses for Preparation of an Organic Fertilizers Formula for Young Tea Plants (Musa acuminata) and Studying of Their Nutrient Release Capacity in the Biodegradation Process

This study investigates the nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium (K) contents in raw biomasses of Camellia sinensis, Gliricidia sepium, and Musa acuminata. Therein, the highest N and P content was seen in Camellia sinensis 116.80 ± 0.08 mg and 66.00 ± 0.14 mg respectively. The highest K content (106.80 ± 0.04 mg) was observed in Musa acuminata. Next, all three types of plant materials were allowed to decompose in water for 3 weeks, and a sample from each was analyzed for NPK after the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd week during decomposition. A significant increase in the release of N, P, and K by the Camellia sinensis to water (P Musa acuminate were not significantly changed (P > 0.05) over time. The ratio for N:P:K was calculated for raw biomass samples and decomposed samples to find the best fitting N:P:K ratio to apply to young tea plants as organic fertilizers. In addition to that, the microbial insight of these organic compounds was analyzed by observing how microbial population increased with decomposition by the enumeration of the total microbial count. A considerable increment in total microbial count was observed up to 3.28 × 106, 1.21 × 1010, 2.18 × 108, and 6.49 × 107 CFU/ml for Camellia sinensis, Gliricidia sepium, Musa accuminata (leaves), and Musa accuminata (trunk) respectively. The presence of phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and nitrogen solubilizing bacteria (NSB) throughout the decomposition period was confirmed by their growth on NBRIP and a modified nutrient medium that was specifically designed for the identification of ammonifiers respectively. Prepared fertilizer samples were applied to young tea plants that were grown in the Mawanella area in Sri Lanka (7°15'12.42"N 80°26'47.62"E) and according to the results, it is clear that fertilizer mixture 1 (N:P:K, 10:5:10, tea dust + Gliricidia + banana trunk) and fertilizer mixture 2 (N:P:K, 10:5:10, tea dust + Gliricidia + banana leaves) has the potential to increase the growth of young tea plants.

Tea plant (Camellia sinensis) lipid metabolism pathway modulated by tea field microbe (Colletotrichum camelliae) to promote disease

Tea is one of the most popular healthy and non-alcoholic beverages worldwide.Tea anthracnose is a disease in tea mature leaves and ultimately affects yield and quality.Colletotrichum camelliae is a dominant fungal pathogen in the tea field that infects tea plants in China.The pathogenic factors of fungus and the susceptible factors in the tea plant are not known.In this work,we performed molecular and genetic studies to observe a cerato-platanin protein CcCp1 from C.camelliae,which played a key role in fungal pathogenicity.CcCp1 mutants lost fungal virulence and reduced the ability to produce conidia.Transcriptome and metabolome were then performed and analysed in tea-susceptible and tea-resistant cultivars,Longjing 43 and Zhongcha 108,upon C.camelliae wild-type CCA andCcCp1 infection,respectively.The differentially expressed genes and the differentially accumulated metabolites in tea plants were clearly overrepresented such as linolenic acid and linoleic acid metabolism,glycerophospholipid metabolism,phenylalanine biosynthesis and metabolism,biosynthesis of f lavonoid,f lavone and f lavonol etc.In particular,the accumulation of jasmonic acid was significantly increased in the susceptible cultivar Longjing 43 upon CCA infection,in the fungal CcCp1 protein dependent manner,suggesting the compound involved in regulating fungal infection.In addition,other metabolites in the glycerophospholipid and phenylalanine pathway were observed in the resistant cultivar Zhongcha 108 upon fungal treatment,suggesting their potential role in defense response.Taken together,this work indicated C.camelliae CcCp1 affected the tea plant lipid metabolism pathway to promote disease while the lost function of CcCp1 mutants altered the fungal virulence and plant response.

A constitutive serine protease inhibitor suppresses herbivore performance in tea(Camellia sinensis)

Protease inhibitors promote herbivore resistance in diverse plant species.Although many inducible protease inhibitors have been identified,there are limited reports available on the biological relevance and molecular basis of constitutive protease inhibitors in herbivore resistance.Here,we identified a serine protease inhibitor,CsSERPIN1,from the tea plant(Camellia sinensis).Expression of CsSERPIN1 was not strongly affected by the assessed biotic and abiotic stresses.In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that CsSERPIN1 strongly inhibited the activities of digestive protease activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin.Transient or heterologous expression of CsSERPIN1 significantly reduced herbivory by two destructive herbivores,the tea geometrid and fall armyworm,in tea and Arabidopsis plants,respectively.The expression of CsSERPIN1 in Arabidopsis did not negatively influence the growth of the plants under the measured parameters.Our findings suggest that CsSERPIN1 can inactivate gut digestive proteases and suppress the growth and development of herbivores,making it a promising candidate for pest prevention in agriculture.

TEAD1/TEAD4基因多态性与非贲门胃癌变关系的研究

目的探讨TEA转录因子1(TEAD1)基因单核苷酸多态性(SNP)rs2304733、TEA转录因子4(TEAD4)SNPrs7135838和rs1990330与非贲门胃癌变发病风险的关系。方法采用酶联免疫吸附测定法(ELISA)检测正常对照组血清样本中抗幽门螺杆菌(Hp)的特异性抗体,根据抗体滴度将470例正常对照组分为Hp感染阴性组(n=223)和阳性组(n=247)。在450例非贲门胃癌病例组和470例对照组中,采用聚合酶链式反应-限制性片段长度多态性(PCR-RFLP)技术对各SNP位点进行基因分型,采用非条件性Logistic回归评估各SNP位点与非贲门胃癌变发病风险的关系。结果TEAD1、TEAD4各SNP位点均与Hp感染没有关联;TEAD1 rs2304733与非贲门胃癌的发病风险相关,与携带TT基因型者相比,携带CT基因型及CC基因型者均增加了非贲门胃癌的发病风险(CTvsTT:OR=2.321,95%CI:1.690~3.188;CCvsTT:OR=5.140,95%CI:1.080~24.463);TEAD4 rs1990330与非贲门胃癌发病风险相关,与携带GG基因型者相比,携带GT基因型者增加了非贲门胃癌的发病风险(OR=2.405,95%CI:1.480~3.908);TEAD4 rs7135838与非贲门胃癌的发病风险无关联;TEAD1rs2304733、TEAD4 rs7135838以及rs1990330对非贲门胃癌发病风险存在交互作用(P<0.05)。结论在包头地区汉族人群中,TEAD1 rs2304733、TEAD4 rs1990330在Hp感染中不起主要作用,在非贲门胃癌发病风险中可能起一定作用;TEAD4 rs7135838在Hp感染以及非贲门胃癌发病风险中可能均不起主要作用;TEAD1 rs2304733、TEAD4 rs1990330对非贲门胃癌发病风险的协同效应最强,为最佳交互模型。

Camellia密码算法S盒的量子电路优化

S盒是Camellia密码算法重要的非线性组件。使用Toffoli门、CNOT门和NOT门构建Camellia密码算法S盒的量子电路。为了降低计算的复杂度,根据S盒的代数表达式,将有限域GF(2^(8))中的乘法求逆运算同构到GF((2^(4))^(2))的复合域中的运算,构造出Camellia密码算法S盒的量子电路。在优化方面,将仿射矩阵、同构矩阵以及一组CNOT门对应的矩阵先进行乘法操作,再进行综合,使用DORCIS工具优化GF(2^(4))中乘法求逆的量子电路,运用W-Type算法优化矩阵运算的量子电路。最终得到的S盒的量子电路只需使用20个量子比特,52个Toffoli门、178个CNOT门和13个NOT门,Toffoli深度为40,电路深度为130。该量子电路的正确性通过IBM公司的Aer模拟器进行验证。相比于已有的结果,文中使用的量子资源有了进一步的减少。

CircFoxo3调节miR-130a-5p/TEAD1轴对心力衰竭大鼠心肌细胞凋亡影响的实验研究

目的探讨环状RNA叉头框蛋白O3(CircFoxo3)调节miR-130a-5p/TEA域转录因子1(TEAD1)轴对心力衰竭(HF)大鼠心肌细胞凋亡的影响。方法将SD大鼠分为对照组、HF组、si-NC组、si-CircFoxo3组、agomir NC组、miR-130a-5p agomir组、si-CircFoxo3+antagomir NC组、si-CircFoxo3+miR-130a-5p antagomir组,每组18只。除对照组外,其他组大鼠均通过腹腔注射盐酸阿霉素的方法构建HF大鼠模型。建模成功后进行药物处理,每3 d给药一次,持续3周。应用反转录实时荧光定量聚合酶链式反应(qRT-PCR)法检测心肌组织中CircFoxo3、miR-130a-5p表达水平。应用彩色多普勒超声仪检测大鼠左室收缩末期内径(LVESD)、左室舒张末期内径(LVEDD)、左室射血分数(LVEF)水平。采用酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)法检测大鼠血清人基质裂解素2(ST_(2))、N端脑钠肽前体(NT-pro BNP)水平。应用HE染色、Masson染色检测大鼠心肌组织病理变化和心肌纤维化情况。通过TUNEL染色检测心肌细胞凋亡水平。应用Western blot法检测大鼠心肌组织TEA域转录因子1(TEAD1)、B淋巴细胞瘤-2(Bcl-2)、Bcl-2相关X蛋白(Bax)、裂解的天冬氨酸特异性半胱氨酸蛋白酶-3(cleaved caspase-3)蛋白表达水平。通过双荧光素酶报告基因实验验证CircFoxo3与miR-130a-5p、miR-130a-5p与TEAD1的关系。结果与对照组比较,HF组大鼠心肌组织病理损伤、心肌纤维化严重,LVESD、LVEDD水平上升,心肌组织CircFoxo3及TEAD1、Bax、cleaved caspase-3蛋白表达水平升高,血清ST_(2)、NT-pro BNP水平升高,心肌细胞凋亡率升高,LVEF、miR-130a-5p和Bcl-2蛋白水平降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与HF组、si-NC组比较,si-CircFoxo3组大鼠心肌组织病理损伤减轻,LVESD、LVEDD水平降低,心肌组织CircFoxo3及TEAD1、Bax、cleaved caspase-3蛋白表达水平降低,血清ST_(2)、NT-pro BNP水平降低,心肌细胞凋亡率降低,LVEF、miR-130a-5p及Bcl-2蛋白水平升高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与HF组、agomir NC组比较,miR-130a-5p agomir组大鼠心肌组织病理损伤、心肌纤维化有所改善,LVESD、LVEDD水平降低,心肌组织TEAD1、Bax、cleaved caspase-3蛋白表达水平降低,血清ST_(2)、NT-pro BNP水平降低,心肌细胞凋亡率降低,LVEF、miR-130a-5p及Bcl-2蛋白水平升高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与si-CircFoxo3组、si-CircFoxo3+antagomir NC组比较,si-CircFoxo3+miR-130a-5p antagomir组大鼠心肌组织病理损伤、心肌纤维化加剧,LVESD、LVEDD水平升高,心肌组织TEAD1、Bax、cleaved caspase-3蛋白表达水平升高,血清ST_(2)、NT-pro BNP水平升高,心肌细胞凋亡率升高,LVEF、miR-130a-5p、Bcl-2蛋白水平降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。CircFoxo3与miR-130a-5p、miR-130a-5p与TEAD1存在靶向关系。结论沉默CircFoxo3可能通过海绵化上调miR-130a-5p来抑制TEAD1表达,进而抑制HF大鼠心肌细胞凋亡。

Valorization of Camellia oleifera oil processing byproducts to value-added chemicals and biobased materials: A critical review

The C.oleifera oil processing industry generates large amounts of solid wastes,including C.oleifera shell(COS)and C.oleifera cake(COC).Distinct from generally acknowledged lignocellulosic biomass(corn stover,bamboo,birch,etc.),Camellia wastes contain diverse bioactive substances in addition to the abundant lignocellulosic components,and thus,the biorefinery utilization of C.oleifera processing byproducts involves complicated processing technologies.This reviewfirst summarizes various technologies for extracting and converting the main components in C.oleifera oil processing byproducts into value-added chemicals and biobased materials,as well as their potential applications.Microwave,ultrasound,and Soxhlet extractions are compared for the extraction of functional bioactive components(tannin,flavonoid,saponin,etc.),while solvothermal conversion and pyrolysis are discussed for the conversion of lignocellulosic components into value-added chemicals.The application areas of these chemicals according to their properties are introduced in detail,including utilizing antioxidant and anti-in-flammatory properties of the bioactive substances for the specific application,as well as drop-in chemicals for the substitution of unrenewable fossil fuel-derived products.In addition to chemical production,biochar fabricated from COS and its applications in thefields of adsorption,supercapacitor,soil remediation and wood composites are comprehensively reviewed and discussed.Finally,based on the compositions and structural characteristics of C.oleifera byproducts,the development of full-component valorization strategies and the expansion of the appli-cationfields are proposed.

Differential metabolites and their transcriptional regulation in seven major tea cultivars (Camellia sinensis) in China

Various genetic and biochemical characteristics exist in tea plant cultivars,and they largely determine production suitability and tea quality.Here,we performed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of young shoots of seven tea cultivars and identified major regulatory transcription factors(TFs)for the characteristic metabolites in different cultivars based on weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA).Phenotypically,we found that‘Tieguanyin’(TGY)and‘Fujian Shuixian’(FJSX),which are suitable for oolong tea,had higher catechin contents.The metabolites of‘Jinxuan’(JX)were more prominent,especially the contents of phenolic acids,flavonoids,terpenes,and tannins,which were higher than those of the other six cultivars.Moreover,‘Fudingdabai’(FDDB),which is suitable for white tea,was rich in amino acids,linolenic acid,and saccharides.At the molecular level,hydroxycinnamoyl CoA quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase(HCT)(CsTGY12G0001876,and CsTGY06G0003042)led to the accumulation of chlorogenic acid in TGY.The main reason for the higher l-ascorbic acid content in FJSX was the high expression levels of L-galactono-1,4-lactone hydrogenase(GalLDH)(CsTGY13G0000389)and Myo-inositol oxygenase(MIOX)(CsTGY14G0001769,and CsTGY14G0001770),which were regulated by WRKY(CsTGY11G0001197).Furthermore,FDDB,‘Longjing 43’(LJ43),‘Shuchazao’(SCZ)and‘Baihaozao’(BHZ)had higher free fatty acid contents,among which MYB(CsTGY14G0002344)may be a hub gene for the regulation of palmitoleic acid accumulation.More importantly,we found that the shoots of TGY were green with purple,mainly due to the accumulation of anthocyanins and the downregulation of the Mg-protoporphyrin IX nonomethyl ester cyclase(MPEC)(CsTGY10G0001989)gene that affects chlorophyll synthesis.These results will provide a theoretical reference for tea cultivar breeding and suitability.

The high-resolution three-dimensional(3D)chromatin map of the tea plant(Camellia sinensis)

Dear Editor,Tea plant(Camellia sinensis(L.)O.Kuntze)is one of the world’s most important non-alcoholic beverages,with great economic,health,and cultural value.Recently,several genomes of C.sinensis var.assamica(CSA)(Yunkang 10),C.sinensis var.sinensis(CSS)(Shuchazao,Biyun,Longjing 43,Tieguanyin,Huangdan),and ancient tea plant(DASZ)have been deciphered[1-3].

Natural variation of main biochemical components,morphological and yield traits among a panel of 87 tea [Camellia sinensis(L.) O. Kuntze] cultivars

Many attentions have been previously focused to identify the multiple biochemical components related to tea quality and health benefits,however, the natural variation of biochemical components present in tea germplasm has not been adequately evaluated. In this study, the main biochemical components, leaf morphological and yield characteristics were evaluated for four rounds of tea leaves in a panel of 87 elite tea cultivars suitable for black, green, or oolong tea. Significant variations were observed among the tea cultivars, as well as seasonal differences in the levels of the free amino acid(FAA), caffeine(CAF), tea polyphenols(TP), water extract(WE) and TP to FAA ratio(TP/FAA). Results showed that the average levels of FAA showed a seasonal change, with the highest level of 4.0% in the 1st spring tea in the cultivars suitable for green tea and the lowest of 3.2% in summer tea in the cultivars suitable for black tea. The average CAF content was highest 3.2% in the cultivars suitable for oolong tea in the 1st spring and the lowest 2.5% in the cultivars suitable for green tea in summer. Limited seasonal and varietal variations were noticed in the average levels of WE among the three categories of tea. In addition, significant natural variation of the morphological characteristics, bud length varying from 2.5 cm to 8.7 cm, bud density from 190.3 buds · m-2to 1 730.3 buds · m-2, mature leaves biomass from 128.4 kg · hm-2to 2 888.4 kg · hm-2, and yield component traits of 100 buds(one bud with two leaves) dry weight from 3.7 g to37.7 g, tea yield/round from 444.6 kg · hm-2to 905.3 kg · hm-2, were observed. The aim of our evaluation was not only to identify the advantages of seasonal and clonal variations but also to provide a new viewpoint for their further application. Representative accessions were selected from the germplasm to promote the establishment of an inherent biochemical constituent expressing the quality of black, green, and oolong tea. The findings might be utilized to establish early selection criteria to enhance the tea breeding and production program.

Identification of the lysine and histidine transporter family in Camellia sinensis and the characterizations in nitrogen utilization

In plants,the lysine and histidine transporter(LHT)family represent a class of proteins that mediate the uptake,translocation,and utilization of amino acids.The tea plant(Camellia sinensis)is a perennial evergreen with a relatively high level of amino acids.However,systematic identification and molecular characterization of the LHT gene family has rarely been reported in tea plants.In this study,22 CsLHTs were identified from the‘Shuchazao’genome and classified into two groups.The modeled three-dimensional structure and the conserved domains presented a high similarity among the LHTs proteins.Moreover,it was predicted that a few genes were conserved through the analysis of the physiochemical characters,structures and cis-elements in promoters.The expression patterns in tea plants revealed that CsLHT7 was mainly expressed in the roots,and CsLHT4 and CsLHT11 exhibited relatively high expression in both the roots and leaves.Moreover,the expression of all three genes could be induced by organic nitrogen.Additionally,heterogeneous expression of CsLHT4,CsLHT7 and CsLHT11 in Arabidopsis thaliana decreased the aerial parts biomass compared with that in WT plants while significantly increased the rosette biomass only for CsLHT11transgenic plants versus WT plants.Overall,our results provide fundamental information about CsLHTs and potential genes in N utilization for further analysis in tea plants.

Characterization of mulberry leaf instant tea and evaluation of its hypolipidemia effect via regulation of intestinal microbiota

The purpose of this study was to characterize mulberry leaf instant tea(MLIT)powder prepared from the'Longsang No.1'(Morus abla L.cv.Longsang 1)mulberry leaves in Heilongjiang Province(China)and assess its obesity-preventing/relieving effects.A total of 174 compounds including quercetin,chlorogenic acid,1-deoxyecomycin(1-DNJ)related to antihyperlipidemia effects were identified from the MLIT powder.MLIT treatment reversed the Lee's index,fat coefficient,and serum biochemical parameters in both the obesity relieving and obesity preventing mice fed with high-fat diet.In the obesity relieving experiment,the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio in mouse feces decreased after both 0.5%and 1%MLIT treatments.In obesity preventing experiments,mouse with different amount of MLIT treatments showed increased relative abundance of Akkermansia,Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus,while Deferribacteres,Desulfobacterota decreased.The beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract of mice treated with MLIT increased.This study proved that MLIT had antihyperlipidemia potential via modulating intestinal microbiota in mice.

Antibacterial mechanism of kojic acid and tea polyphenols against Escherichia coli O157:H7 through transcriptomic analysis

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the major foodborne pathogenic bacterial that cause infectious diseases in humans.The previous found that a combination of kojic acid and tea polyphenols exhibited better activity against E.coli O157:H7 than using either alone.This study aimed to explore responses underlying the antibacterial mechanisms of kojic acid and tea polyphenols from the gene level.The functional enrichment analysis by comparing kojic acid and tea polyphenols individually or synergistically against E.coli O157:H7 found that acid resistance systems in kojic acid were activated,and the cell membrane and genomic DNA were destructed in the cells,resulting in“oxygen starvation”.The oxidative stress response triggered by tea polyphenols inhibited both sulfur uptake and the synthesis of ATP,which affected the bacteria's life metabolic process.Interestingly,we found that kojic acid combined with tea polyphenols hindered the uptake of iron that played an essential role in the synthesis of DNA,respiration,tricarboxylic acid cycle.The results suggested that the iron uptake pathways may represent a novel approach for kojic acid and tea polyphenols synergistically against E.coli O157:H7 and provided a theoretical basis for bacterial pathogen control in the food industry.

Characterization and Pathogenicity of Pseudopestalotiopsis vietnamensis Causing Gray Blight of Wuyi Rock Tea(Camellia sinensis)in China and Specific Mechanisms of Disease Infection

Gray blight disease(GBD)causes significant losses in tea production in China.Although genes and biological processes involved in resistance to fungal disease in tea plants have been identified,specific mechanisms of the GBD infection process remain unknown.In this study,morphological and multi-gene(TEF-TUB-ITS)phylogenetic characteristics were used to identify isolate CLBB1 of Pseudopestalotiopsis vietnamensis.Pathogenicity tests confirmed that isolate CLBB1 from tea leaves caused GBD in the susceptible tea cultivar Wuyi Rock(Camellia sinensis var.sinensis cv.Shuixian).Spores began to germinate 24 h after infection(hai),and after 48 h,elongated fungal hyphae formed from a single conidium.Transcriptome analysis revealed that 482,517,and 369 genes were differentially expressed at 24,48,and 72 hai,respectively,in Wuyi Rock tea leaves.Isolate CLBB1 infection elicited phenotype-related responses and activated defense-related pathways,including plant–pathogen interaction,MAPK signaling,and plant hormone signal transduction,suggesting a possible mechanism underlying phenotype-based susceptibility to CLBB1.Thus,a new Ps.vietnamensis strain causing GBD in the tea cultivar‘Shuixian’was discovered in this study.Transcriptome analysis indicated that pathogen invasion activated chitin-related MAPK pathways and that tea plants required a hormone to restrict CLBB1.

Effect of a Commercial Extract of Green Tea and a Pure Catechin on Two Veillonella strains

The catechin Epigallocatechin-3-O-Gallate (EGCG) which is found in of Green Tea extracts (GTE), displays a variety of microbicidal properties. It is largely believed that EGCG inhibits the growth of cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria. Objective: In this paper we compared the inhibitory activity of EGCG and a commercial GTE on the growth of Veillonella parvula. Chlorhexidine was used as positive control. Methodology: V. parvula ATCC 10790 and a clinical isolate obtained from a periodontal disease patient were cultured in the presence of EGCG or a commercial GTE, and the measurements of bacterial growth inhibition were compared to the values obtained with 0.12 and 0.2% chlorhexidine. Results: Chlorhexidine inhibited bacterial growth, however in contrast to a previous report, neither EGCG nor the GTE showed any effect on bacterial growth. Conclusions: The data show and confirm that chlorhexidine is a growth inhibitor of V. parvula while EGCG and GTE do not display such effect.

Duplicated chalcone synthase(CHS)genes modulate flavonoid production in tea plants in response to light stress

In tea plants,the abundant flavonoid compounds are responsible for the health benefits for the human body and define the astringent flavor profile.While the downstream mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis have been extensively studied,the role of chalcone synthase(CHS)in this secondary metabolic process in tea plants remains less clear.In this study,we compared the evolutionary profile of the flavonoid metabolism pathway and discovered that gene duplication of CHS occurred in tea plants.We identified three CsCHS genes,along with a CsCHS-like gene,as potential candidates for further functional investigation.Unlike the CsCHS-like gene,the CsCHS genes effectively restored flavonoid production in Arabidopsis chs-mutants.Additionally,CsCHS transgenic tobacco plants exhibited higher flavonoid compound accumulation compared to their wild-type counterparts.Most notably,our examination of promoter and gene expression levels for the selected CHS genes revealed distinct responses to UV-B stress in tea plants.Our findings suggest that environmental factors such as UV-B exposure could have been the key drivers behind the gene duplication events in CHS.

Carbonic anhydrase 2 mediates anti-obesity effects of black tea as thermogenic activator

Obesity is a metabolic disorder due to over-accumulation of adipose tissue and ultimately becomes a“disease”.Brown adipose tissue(BAT)thermogenesis and white adipose tissue(WAT)browning emerge as a potential strategy of anti-obesity by dissipating energy as heat.However,drugs based on adipose tissue thermogenesis have not been successfully approved yet.In current study,we found that black tea extract(BTE)obtained by patentauthorized manufacturing process prevented body weight gain as novel thermogenic activator with reduction of adiposity,improvement of adipose distribution,and glucose metabolism improvement in diet-induced obesity mice.Mechanismly,anti-obesity effect of BTE depends on promoting BAT thermogenesis and WAT browning with upregulation of uncoupling protein 1(UCP1),especially visceral adipose tissue(VAT)with browning resistance.Specifically,utilizing in silico approach of network pharmacology and molecular docking,we identified carbonic anhydrase 2(CA2)in nitrogen metabolism as anti-obesity target of BTE and further elucidated that protein kinase B(AKT)signaling pathway linked CA2 and UCP1.Meanwhile gut microbiota regulation may prompt the CA2-dependent thermogenesis activation.Our findings demonstrated anti-obesity effect of BTE as thermogenic activator through CA2-mediated BAT thermogenesis and WAT browning via CA2-AKT-UCP1 signaling pathway,which could be developed as promising anti-obesity agent with good safety and efficacy.