The world's most widely distributed Chinese tea tree whole genome information.

Professor Wan Xiaochun of the National Key Laboratory of Tea Tree Biology and Resource Utilization of Anhui Agricultural University, in conjunction with Shenzhen Huada Gene and other units, cracked the world's most widely distributed Chinese tea tree whole genome information, the results of which were published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
the world's main planting tea tree belongs to two variants: the Chinese species and the Assam species, the former small leaf, widely distributed, the adaptation of green tea and other six tea categories, the latter leaf, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical areas, the appropriate black tea and Pu'er tea. The
research team used the national tea tree variety Shu tea early (Chinese seed) as the material, used the second and third generation sequencing technology to sequence it, adopted the hybrid assembly strategy, obtained a high-quality sequence sketch covering 93% of the genome area, and annotated 33932 high-feasibility tea tree genes.
study found that the tea tree ancestorspecies diverged with the kiwi species about 80 million years ago, and then the Chinese species and the Assam species.
the tea tree rich in catechins, atheones, coffee alkali and terpenes and other characteristic compounds, giving tea unique flavor.
study found that there had been two genome-wide replication events in the tea tree genome, the most recent of which occurred 30 to 40 million years ago, leading to a significant increase in the number of copies of genes associated with catechins and coffee base biosynthesis.
biosynthesis of catechins is subject to complex transcription regulation, and many transcription factors associated with biological and abiotic adversity are highly correlated with catechin content.
comparative genome analysis found that the number of synthase gene copies of substances such as terpenes also increased significantly in the tea tree genome, helping to enhance the aroma of tea.
these findings are the first to be systematically illustrated by the genome level, the mystery of the unique flavor substances in tea.
this achievement is of great significance to promote the evolution of the species of camellia plants, the formation mechanism of tea flavor material, molecular breeding, the use and protection of tea tree species resources, and the prosperity and spread of tea culture.
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