Lin-long MA, Yan-li LIU, Dan CAO, Zi-ming GONG, Xiao-fang JIN

Quality constituents of high amino acid content tea cultivars with various leaf colors

Green tea made from high amino acid content (HAAC) tea cultivars with different leaf colors exhibits many similar characteristics, such as slight bitterness, a rich aroma, and a refreshing and velvety taste. To determine differences in the key constituents of five HAAC tea cultivars with various leaf colors, the cultivars quality constituents were systematically analyzed and compared with that of a normal green tea cultivar. High theanine (Thea) content and the synthesis of Thea precursors are extremely important determinants of the character of these HAAC tea cultivars. The levels of most catechins, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in the HAAC tea cultivars were significantly lower than those in the normal tea cultivar, as was that of caffeine. The present study suggests that the inhibition of catechins (particularly epicatechins; ECs), chlorophylls, carotenoids, and caffeine biosyntheses in HAAC tea cultivars directs the metabolic network toward amino acid biosynthesis, particularly Thea biosynthesis.

Keywords:

HPLC, green tea, high amino acid content, bioactive profile, biosynthesis,

PDF

___

Alcázar A, Ballesteros O, Jurado JM, Pablos F, Martín MJ, Vilches JL, Navalón A (2007). Differentiation of green, white, black, oolong, and pu-erh teas according to their free amino acids content. J Agric Food Chem 55: 5960-5965.
Cabrera C, Artacho R, Gimenez R (2006). Beneficial effects of green tea - a review. J Am Coll Nutr 25: 9-99.
Chen YL, Duan, J, Jiang YM, Shi J, Peng LT, Xue S, Kakuda Y (2011). Production, quality and biological effects of Oolong Tea ( C. sinensis ). Food Rev Int 27: 1-15.
Chen L, Zhou ZX (2005). Variations of main quality components of tea genetic resources [ C. sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] preserved in the China National Germplasm Tea Repository. Plant Food Hum Nutr 60: 31-35.
Chu D, Kobayashi K, Juneja LR, Yamamoto T (1997). Theanine - its synthesis, isolation, and physiological activity. In: Yamamoto T, Juneja LR, Chu D, Kim M, editors. Chemistry and Applications of Green Tea. 12th ed. Boca Raton, FL, USA: CRC Press, pp. 129-135.
Crozier A, Yokota T, Jaganath IB, Marks SC, Saltmarsh M, Clifford MN (2006). Secondary metabolites in fruits, vegetables, beverages and other plant-based dietary components. In: Crozier A, Clifford MN, Ashihara H, editors. Plant Secondary Metabolites: Occurrence, Structure and Role in the Human Diet. 7th ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, pp. 208-302.
Deng WW, Ogita S, Ashihara H (2010). Distribution and biosynthesis of theanine in Theaceae plants. Plant Physiol Bioch 48: 70-72.
Deng WW, Wang S, Chen Q, Zhang ZZ, Hu XY (2013). Effect of salt treatment on theanine biosynthesis in C. sinensis seedlings. Plant Growth Regul 71: 295-299.
Du YY, Liang YR, Wang H, Wang KR, Lu JL, Zhang GH, Lin WP, Li M, Fang QY (2006). A study on the chemical composition of albino tea cultivars. J Hortic Sci Biotech 81: 809-812.
Fang WP, Meinhardt LW, Tan HW, Zhou L, Mischke S, Zhang DP (2014). Varietal identification of tea ( C. sinensis ) using nanofluidic array of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Horti Res 1: 14035.
Feng L, Gao MJ, Hou RY, Hu XY, Zhang L, Wan XC, Wei S (2014). Determination of quality constituents in the young leaves of albino tea cultivars. Food Chem 155: 98-104.
Fernández-Marín B, Míguez F, Becerril JM, García-Plazaola JI (2011). Activation of violaxanthin cycle in darkness is a common response to different abiotic stresses: a case study in Pelvetia canaliculata. BMC Plant Biol 11: 181.
Higdon JV, Frei B (2003). Tea catechins and polyphenols: health effects, metabolism, and antioxidant functions. Crit Rev Sci 43: 89-143.
Hindmarch I, Rigney U, Stanley N, Quinlan P, Rycroft J, Lane J (2000). A naturalistic investigation of the effects of day-long consumption of tea, coffee and water on alertness, sleep onset and sleep quality. Psychopharmacology 149: 203-216.
Kakuda T (2002). Neuroprotective effects of the green tea components theanine and catechins. Biol Pharm Bull 25: 1513-1518.
Khan N, Mukhtar H (2013). Tea and health: studies in humans. Curr Pharm Design 19: 6141-6147.
Kimura K, Ozeki M, Juneja LR, Ohira H (2007). L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses. Biol Psychology 74: 39-45.
Lam HM, Coschigano KT, Oliveira IC, Melo-Oliveira R, Coruzzi GM (1996). The molecular–genetics of nitrogen assimilation into amino acids in higher plants. Annu Rev Plant Biol 47: 569-593.
Li CF, Yao MZ, Ma CL, Ma JQ, Jin JQ, Chen L (2015). Differential metabolic profiles during the albescent stages of ‘Anji Baicha’ ( C. sinensis ). PLoS One 10: e0139996.
Li SF, Cheng H, Fu FL, Yan J (1996). The change of amino acid in the stage albinism of White leaf NO.1. J Tea Sci 16: 153-154.
Li YC, Chen CS, Li YS, Ding ZY, Shen JZ, Wang Y, Zhao L, Xu M (2016). The identification and evaluation of two different color variations of tea. J Sci Food Agr 96: 4951-4961.
Liu M, Tian HL, Wu JH, Cang RR, Wang RX, Qi XH (2015). Relationship between gene expression and the accumulation of catechin during spring and autumn in tea plants ( C. sinensis L.). Horti Res 2: 15023.
Narukawa M, Kimata H, Noga C, Watanabe T (2010). Taste characterisation of green tea catechins. Int J Food Sci Tech 45: 1579-1585.
Shimbo M, Nakamura K, Shi HJ, Kizuki M, Seino K, Inose T (2005). Green tea consumption in everyday life and mental health. Public Health Nutr 8: 1300-1306.
Szeto SS, Reinke SN, Sykes BD, Lemire BD (2010). Mutations in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae succinate dehydrogenase result in distinct metabolic phenotypes revealed through H 1 NMR– based metabolic footprinting. J Proteome Res 9: 6729-6739.
Tabuchi M, Abiko T, Yamaya T (2007). Assimilation of ammonium ions and reutilization of nitrogen in rice ( Oryza sativa L.). J Exp Bot 58: 2319-2327.
Tai YL, Wei CL, Yang H, Zhang L, Chen Q, Deng WW, Wei S, Zhang J, Fang CB, Ho CT et al. (2015). Transcriptomic and phytochemical analysis of the biosynthesis of characteristic constituents in tea ( C. sinensis ) compared with oil tea ( Camellia oleifera ). BMC Plant Biol 15: 190.
Tanaka R, Tanaka A (2007). Tetrapyrrole biosynthesis in higher plants. Annu Rev Plant Biol 58: 321-346.
Trygg J, Holmes E, Londstedt T (2007). Chemometrics in metabonomics. J Proteome Res 6: 469-479.
Wang L, Yue C, Cao HL, Zhou YH, Zeng JM, Yang YJ, Wang XC (2014). Biochemical and transcriptome analyses of a novel chlorophyll-deficient chlorina tea plant cultivar. BMC Plant Biol 14: 352.
Wang YC, Bachrach U (2002). The specific anti–cancer activity of green tea (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). Amino Acids 22: 131-143.
Wei K, Wang LY, Zhou J, He W, Zeng JM, Jiang YW, Chen H (2012). Comparison of catechins and purine alkaloids in albino and normal green tea cultivars ( C. sinensis L.) by HPLC. Food Chem 130: 720-724.
Xiong L, Li J, Li YH, Yuan L, Liu SQ, Huang JA, Liu ZH (2013). Dynamic changes in catechin levels and catechin biosynthesis- related gene expression in albino tea plants ( C. sinensis L.). Plant Physiol Bioch 71: 132-143.
Yamaguchi S, Ninomiya K (2000). Umami and food palatability. J Nutr 130: 921-926.
Yu BY, Lydiate DJ, Schäfer UA, Hannoufa A (2007). Characterization of a β-carotene hydroxylase of Adonis aestivalis and its expression in Arabidopsis thaliana . Planta 226: 181-192.
Zhang XS, Peng JG, Long CX, Yang Y, Yang XC, Zhao Y, Xiang TS, Liu Z, Shi JZ, Ning J et al (2012). The breeding of early budding, high amino acid content and high quality new green- tea cultivar Baojing Huangjincha 1. Tea Communication 39: 11-16.