TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Ying A1 - Zeng, Lanting A1 - Fu, Xiumin A1 - Mei, Xin A1 - Cheng, Sihua A1 - Liao, Yinyin A1 - Deng, Rufang A1 - Xu, Xinlan A1 - Jiang, Yueming A1 - Duan, Xuewu A1 - Baldermann, Susanne A1 - Yang, Ziyin T1 - The sphingolipid biosynthetic enzyme Sphingolipid delta8 desaturase is important for chilling resistance of tomato JF - Scientific reports N2 - The physiological functions of sphingolipids in animals have been intensively studied, while less attention has been paid to their roles in plants. Here, we reveal the involvement of sphingolipid delta8 desaturase (SlSLD) in the chilling resistance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Micro-Tom). We used the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) approach to knock-down SlSLD expression in tomato leaves, and then evaluated chilling resistance. Changes in leaf cell structure under a chilling treatment were observed by transmission electron microscopy. In control plants, SlSLD was highly expressed in the fruit and leaves in response to a chilling treatment. The degree of chilling damage was greater in SlSLD-silenced plants than in control plants, indicating that SlSLD knock-down significantly reduced the chilling resistance of tomato. Compared with control plants, SlSLD-silenced plants showed higher relative electrolytic leakage and malondialdehyde content, and lower superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities after a chilling treatment. Chilling severely damaged the chloroplasts in SlSLD-silenced plants, resulting in the disruption of chloroplast membranes, swelling of thylakoids, and reduced granal stacking. Together, these results show that SlSLD is crucial for chilling resistance in tomato. Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38742 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 6 PB - Nature Publ. Group CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Ying A1 - Zhang, Ling A1 - Gui, Jiadong A1 - Dong, Fang A1 - Cheng, Sihua A1 - Mei, Xin A1 - Zhang, Linyun A1 - Li, Yongqing A1 - Su, Xinguo A1 - Baldermann, Susanne A1 - Watanabe, Naoharu A1 - Yang, Ziyin T1 - Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Short-Chain Dehydrogenase Showing Activity with Volatile Compounds Isolated from Camellia sinensis JF - Plant molecular biology reporter N2 - Camellia sinensis synthesizes and emits a large variety of volatile phenylpropanoids and benzenoids (VPB). To investigate the enzymes involved in the formation of these VPB compounds, a new C. sinensis short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (CsSDR) was isolated, cloned, sequenced, and functionally characterized. The complete open reading frame of CsSDR contains 996 nucleotides with a calculated protein molecular mass of 34.5 kDa. The CsSDR recombinant protein produced in Escherichia coli exhibited dehydrogenase-reductase activity towards several major VPB compounds in C. sinensis flowers with a strong preference for NADP/NADPH co-factors, and showed affinity for (R)/(S)-1-phenylethanol (1PE), phenylacetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, and benzyl alcohol, and no affinity for acetophenone (AP) and 2-phenylethanol. CsSDR showed the highest catalytic efficiency towards (R)/(S)-1PE. Furthermore, the transient expression analysis in Nicotiana benthamiana plants validated that CsSDR could convert 1PE to AP in plants. CsSDR transcript level was not significantly affected by floral development and some jasmonic acid-related environmental stress, and CsSDR transcript accumulation was detected in most floral tissues such as receptacle and anther, which were main storage locations of VPB compounds. Our results indicate that CsSDR is expressed in C. sinensis flowers and is likely to contribute to a number of floral VPB compounds including the 1PE derivative AP. KW - Camellia sinensis KW - 1-Phenylethanol KW - Phenylpropanoids KW - Short chain dehydrogenase KW - Volatile compound Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11105-014-0751-z SN - 0735-9640 SN - 1572-9818 VL - 33 IS - 2 SP - 253 EP - 263 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Katsuno, Tsuyoshi A1 - Kasuga, Hisae A1 - Kusano, Yumi A1 - Yaguchi, Yoshihiro A1 - Tomomura, Miho A1 - Cui, Jilai A1 - Yang, Ziyin A1 - Baldermann, Susanne A1 - Nakamura, Yoriyuki A1 - Ohnishi, Toshiyuki A1 - Mase, Nobuyuki A1 - Watanabe, Naoharu T1 - Characterisation of odorant compounds and their biochemical formation in green tea with a low temperature storage process JF - Food chemistry N2 - We produced low temperature (15 degrees C) processed green tea (LTPGT) with higher aroma contents than normal green tea (Sencha). Normal temperature processed green tea (NTPGT), involved storing at 25 degrees C, and Sencha had no storing process. Sensory evaluation showed LTPGT had higher levels of floral and sweet odorants than NTPGT and Sencha. Aroma extract dilution analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry indicated LTPGT had 12 aroma compounds with high factor dilution values (FD). Amongst LTPGT's 12 compounds, indole, jasmine lactone, cis-jasmone, coumarin, and methyl epijasmonate contributed to floral, fruity and sweet characters. In particular, indole increased initially, peaking at 16 h, then gradually decreased; Feeding experiments suggested [N-15]indole and [N-15]oxygenated indoles (OX-indoles) were produced from [N-15]anthranilic acid. We proposed the increase in indole was due to transformation of anthranilic acid during the 16 h storage and the subsequent decline in indole level was due to its conversion to OX-indoles. KW - Odorant compounds KW - Camellia sinensis KW - Tea leaves KW - Indole KW - [N-15]Indole KW - [N-15]Anthranilic acid KW - Metabolome analysis Y1 - 2014 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.10.069 SN - 0308-8146 SN - 1873-7072 VL - 148 SP - 388 EP - 395 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yang, Ziyin A1 - Baldermann, Susanne A1 - Watanabe, Naoharu T1 - Recent studies of the volatile compounds in tea JF - FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL N2 - Tea aroma is one of the most important factors affecting the character and quality of tea. Recent advances in methods and instruments for separating and identifying volatile compounds have led to intensive investigations of volatile compounds in tea. These studies have resulted in a number of insightful and useful discoveries. Here we summarize the recent investigations into tea volatile compounds: the volatile compounds in tea products; the metabolic pathways of volatile formation in tea plants and the glycosidically-bound volatile compounds in tea; and the techniques used for studying such compounds. Finally, we discuss practical applications for the improvement of aroma and flavor quality in teas. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. KW - Biosynthesis KW - Precursor KW - Stress KW - Tea KW - Volatile Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2013.02.011 SN - 0963-9969 VL - 53 IS - 2 SP - 585 EP - 599 PB - ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV CY - AMSTERDAM ER -