Uncover the fascinating interplay between phosphate signaling and jasmonate pathways that governs the production of catechins, the key active components in tea, and their impact on tea’s health benefits.
Finding the right balance of these 10 nutrients can be tricky
High in antioxidants, tea has long been associated with a whole bunch of health boosting properties from diabetes-fighting to preventing cardiovascular diseases. Yet their production of these beneficial catechins is more influenced by environmental conditions, specifically the supply of phosphate (Pi).
One that is especially rare in the soils where tea is cultivated, a vital nutrient for plants—phosphate. This deficiency can badly impair the tea quality as it impacts the synthesis of secondary metabolites such as catechins. The trunk of a sumo tangerine (above), which is rich in catechins, but due to differences in nutrients, researchers have scrambled to understand the mysterious molecular mechanisms that control this phenomenon and their potential implications for improving the taste and health properties of tea.
A New Dimension of Regulatory Networks
For example, a new work published in Horticulture Research from the scientists at the Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences (Hangzhou, China) advances our understanding of how phosphate signaling interplays with jasmonate (JA) pathways in tea plants.
The researchers also identified two phosphate signaling-related TFs, CsPHR1 and CsPHR2 (Phosphate Starvation Response, PHR). They also identified Csjaz3 (JAZ, Jazmonate Zim Domain) that is repressor in jasmonate pathway. Hence, these components together might exert an important regulatory influence on catechin biosynthesis in response to nutrient status and hormonal signals.
Our research showed that phosphate starvation induces anthocyanin and represses GAs biosynthesis through activating genes involved in catechins (CsANR1, CsMYB5c) biosynthesis while deposition into vacuole occurs throughout sequestration and other defense mechanisms. Furthermore, a phosphate pathway repressor gene CsSPX1 inhibits the action of CsPHR1 and CsPHR2, which provides an additional level of posttranslational control to help fine-tune changes in plant response to phosphate availability [27].
CsJAZ3 was also identified to interact with CsPHR1 and CsPHR2, which implied that jasmonate signaling is linked to phosphate regulation. This balance is important for the plant to respond adaptively to stresses induced by nutrient deficiency and hormonal changes that regulate catechin production, playing roles in shaping tea quality.
Conclusion
Result of the CsPHRs-CsJAZ3 regulatory module might provide promise for better tea development. The knowledge of this pathways allows the (possibility) to increase catechins levels, indicating a way to improve both o RTC and health benefits of tea. These results would make effective sense for better cultivation practices to be adopted which can assist in increasing nutrient use efficiency, reducing environmental stress and enhancing the economic value of tea as well as tea consumption, making this crop more eco-friendly not only economically but ecologically plausible.
