TY - JOUR
T1 - Evolution and functional divergence of glycosyltransferase genes shaped the quality and cold tolerance of tea plants
AU - Wang, Jingming
AU - Hu, Yutong
AU - Guo, Danyang
AU - Gao, Ting
AU - Liu, Tianqi
AU - Jin, Jieyang
AU - Zhao, Mingyue
AU - Yu, Keke
AU - Tong, Wei
AU - Ge, Honghua
AU - Pan, Yuting
AU - Zhang, Mengting
AU - Lu, Mengqian
AU - Jing, Tingting
AU - Du, Wenkai
AU - Tang, Xiaoyan
AU - Zhao, Chenjie
AU - Zhao, Wei
AU - Bao, Zhijie
AU - Schwab, Wilfried
AU - Xia, Enhua
AU - Song, Chuankui
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society of Plant Biologists.
PY - 2024/12/23
Y1 - 2024/12/23
N2 - Plant uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play a key role in plant growth and metabolism. Here, we examined the evolutionary landscape among UGTs in 28 fully sequenced species from early algae to angiosperms. Our findings revealed a distinctive expansion and contraction of UGTs in the G and H groups in tea (Camellia sinensis), respectively. Whole-genome duplication and tandem duplication events jointly drove the massive expansion of UGTs, and the interplay of natural and artificial selection has resulted in marked functional divergence within the G group of the sinensis-type tea population. In Cluster II of group G, differences in substrate selection (e.g. abscisic acid) of the enzymes encoded by UGT genes led to their functional diversification, and these genes influence tolerance to abiotic stresses such as low temperature and drought via different modes of positive and negative regulation, respectively. UGTs in Cluster III of the G group have diverse aroma substrate preferences, which contribute a diverse aroma spectrum of the sinensis-type tea population. All Cluster III genes respond to low-temperature stress, whereas UGTs within Cluster III-1, shaped by artificial selection, are unresponsive to drought. This suggests that artificial selection of tea plants focused on improving quality and cold tolerance as primary targets.
AB - Plant uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play a key role in plant growth and metabolism. Here, we examined the evolutionary landscape among UGTs in 28 fully sequenced species from early algae to angiosperms. Our findings revealed a distinctive expansion and contraction of UGTs in the G and H groups in tea (Camellia sinensis), respectively. Whole-genome duplication and tandem duplication events jointly drove the massive expansion of UGTs, and the interplay of natural and artificial selection has resulted in marked functional divergence within the G group of the sinensis-type tea population. In Cluster II of group G, differences in substrate selection (e.g. abscisic acid) of the enzymes encoded by UGT genes led to their functional diversification, and these genes influence tolerance to abiotic stresses such as low temperature and drought via different modes of positive and negative regulation, respectively. UGTs in Cluster III of the G group have diverse aroma substrate preferences, which contribute a diverse aroma spectrum of the sinensis-type tea population. All Cluster III genes respond to low-temperature stress, whereas UGTs within Cluster III-1, shaped by artificial selection, are unresponsive to drought. This suggests that artificial selection of tea plants focused on improving quality and cold tolerance as primary targets.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214318925&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/plcell/koae268
DO - 10.1093/plcell/koae268
M3 - Article
C2 - 39365921
AN - SCOPUS:85214318925
SN - 1040-4651
VL - 37
JO - Plant Cell
JF - Plant Cell
IS - 1
ER -