Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2025

Biosynthesis of a Flavonol from a Flavanone by Establishing a One-pot Bienzymatic Cascade
Published on: August 14, 2019
GABA shunt contribution to flavonoid biosynthesis and metabolism in tea plants (Camellia sinensis)
Jieren Liao1, Qiang Shen2, Ruiyang Li1
1College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China.
Abstract:
γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a signal molecule, is regarded as the intersection node of carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and its contributions to flavonoid metabolism in tea plant growth and development remain unclear. The correlation between the GABA shunt and flavonoid metabolism in tea plants is worth to explore. Secondary metabolites and their correlations with the taste of tea soup made from tea plants (Camellia sinensis) during different seasons were investigated. Related secondary metabolites and transcript profiles of genes encoding enzymes in the GABA shunt, flavonoid pathway and polyamine biosynthesis were measured throughout the tea plant growth seasons and after exogenous GABA applications. In addition, the abundance of differentially expressed proteins was quantified after treatments with or without exogenous GABA. The tea leaves showed the highest metabolite concentrations in spring season. CsGAD, CsGABAT, CsSPMS, CsODC, CsF3H and CsCHS were found to be important genes in the GABA and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways. GABA and anthocyanin concentrations showed a positive correlation, to some extent, CsF3H and CsCHS played important roles in the GABA and anthocyanin biosynthesis.
Related Concept Videos
Adaptations that Reduce Water Loss
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light
C4 Pathway and CAM
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Glucose Transporters
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:

