UGT89AC1-mediated quercetin glucosylation is induced upon herbivore damage and enhances Camellia sinensis resistance to insect feeding.
Plant Cell Environ
; 47(2): 682-697, 2024 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37882446
ABSTRACT
Quercetin is a key flavonol in tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) with various health benefits, and it often occurs in the form of glucosides. The roles of quercetin and its glucosylated forms in plant defense are generally not well-studied, and remain unknown in the defense of tea. Here, we found higher contents of quercetin glucosides and a decline of the aglucone upon Ectropis grisescens (E. grisescens) infestation of tea. Nine UGTs were strongly induced, among which UGT89AC1 exhibited the highest activity toward quercetin in vitro and in vivo. The mass of E. grisescens larvae that fed on plants with repressed UGT89AC1 or varieties with lower levels of UGT89AC1 was significantly lower than that of larvae fed on controls. Artificial diet supplemented with quercetin glucoside also reduced the larval growth rate, whereas artificial diet supplemented with free quercetin had no significant effect on larval growth. UGT89AC1 was located in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, and its expression was modulated by JA, JA-ILE, and MeJA. These findings demonstrate that quercetin glucosylation serves a defensive role in tea against herbivory. Our results also provide novel insights into the ecological relevance of flavonoid glycosides under biotic stress in plants.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Camellia sinensis
/
Lepidópteros
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article