Distribution and biosynthesis of theanine in Theaceae plants |
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Authors: | Wei-Wei Deng Shinjiro Ogita Hiroshi Ashihara |
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Affiliation: | 1. Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Botany, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China;2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;3. Guangdong Food and Drug Vocational College, Guangzhou 510520, China;1. National Center for Tea Plant Improvement, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310008, China;2. Key Laboratory of Tea Biology and Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Hangzhou 310008, China;3. Tea Research Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fu''an 355000, China |
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Abstract: | The theanine content of the leaves of 27 species or varieties of Theaceae plants was investigated. Theanine was present in 21 species or varieties, but in much lower amounts (<0.2 μmol/g fresh weight) than the quantity detected in Camellia sinensis var. sinensis. The major free amino acids in leaves of four species belonging to the genera Schima and Eurya, were glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glutamine, asparagine, alanine and proline and content of these amino acids is similar to or higher than theanine. Accumulation of free amino acids in these plants was generally lower than in C. sinensis var. sinensis. The biosynthetic activity of theanine, assessed by the incorporation of radioactivity from [14C]ethylamine, was detected in seedlings of two species of Schima. The theanine biosynthetic activity in roots was higher than that of leaves. |
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