Diverse roles of MYB transcription factors in regulating secondary metabolite biosynthesis, shoot development, and stress responses in tea plants (Camellia sinensis)

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Abstract

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is concocted from tea plant shoot tips that produce catechins, caffeine, theanine, and terpenoids, which collectively determine the rich flavors and health benefits of the infusion. However, little is known about the integrated regulation of shoot tip development and characteristic secondary metabolite biosynthesis in tea plants. Here, we demonstrate that MYB transcription factors (TFs) play key and yet diverse roles in regulating leaf and stem development, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and environmental stress responses in tea plants. By integrating transcriptomic and metabolic profiling data in different tissues at a series of developmental stages or under various stress conditions, alongside biochemical and genetic analyses, we predicted the MYB TFs involved in regulating shoot development (CsMYB2, 98, 107, and 221), epidermal cell initiation (CsMYB184, 41, 139, and 219), stomatal initiation (CsMYB113 and 153), and the biosynthesis of flavonoids (including catechins, anthocyanins, and flavonols; CsMYB8 and 99), caffeine (CsMYB85 and 86), theanine (CsMYB9 and 49), carotenoids (CsMYB110), mono-/sesquiterpenoid volatiles (CsMYB68, 147, 148, and 193), lignin (CsMYB164 and 192), and indolic compounds (CsMYB139, 162, and 198), as well as the MYB TFs that are likely involved in hormone signaling-mediated environmental stress and defense responses. We characterized the functions of some key MYBs in regulating flavonoid and carotenoid biosynthesis for tea quality and flavor. This study provides a cross-family analysis of MYBs in tea alongside new insights into the coordinated regulation of tea plant shoot development and secondary metabolism, paving the way towards understanding of tea quality trait formation and genetic improvement of quality tea plants.

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