Open AccessSingle‐cell transcriptome atlas reveals developmental trajectories and a novel metabolic pathway of catechin esters in tea leaves
Author(s) -
Wang Qiang,
Wu Yi,
Peng Anqi,
Cui Jilai,
Zhao Mingyue,
Pan Yuting,
Zhang Mengting,
Tian Kai,
Schwab Wilfried,
Song Chuankui
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/pbi.13891
Subject(s) - transcriptome , biology , catechin , gene , metabolic pathway , gene expression profiling , glycosyltransferase , gene expression , cell , botany , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , polyphenol , antioxidant
Summary The tea plant is an economically important woody beverage crop. The unique taste of tea is evoked by certain metabolites, especially catechin esters, whereas their precise formation mechanism in different cell types remains unclear. Here, a fast protoplast isolation method was established and the transcriptional profiles of 16 977 single cells from 1st and 3rd leaves were investigated. We first identified 79 marker genes based on six isolated tissues and constructed a transcriptome atlas, mapped developmental trajectories and further delineated the distribution of different cell types during leaf differentiation and genes associated with cell fate transformation. Interestingly, eight differently expressed genes were found to co‐exist at four branch points. Genes involved in the biosynthesis of certain metabolites showed cell‐ and development‐specific characteristics. An unexpected catechin ester glycosyltransferase was characterized for the first time in plants by a gene co‐expression network in mesophyll cells. Thus, the first single‐cell transcriptional landscape in woody crop leave was reported and a novel metabolism pathway of catechin esters in plants was discovered.