The complexities of proanthocyanidin biosynthesis and its regulation in plants

Keji Yu; Yushuang Song; Jinxing Lin; Richard A Dixon

doi:10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100498

The complexities of proanthocyanidin biosynthesis and its regulation in plants

Plant Commun. 2023 Mar 13;4(2):100498. doi: 10.1016/j.xplc.2022.100498. Epub 2022 Nov 26.

Authors

Keji Yu¹, Yushuang Song², Jinxing Lin³, Richard A Dixon⁴

Affiliations

¹ National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
² National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
³ National Engineering Research Center of Tree Breeding and Ecological Restoration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Tree Breeding by Molecular Design, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

Abstract

Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are natural flavan-3-ol polymers that contribute protection to plants under biotic and abiotic stress, benefits to human health, and bitterness and astringency to food products. They are also potential targets for carbon sequestration for climate mitigation. In recent years, from model species to commercial crops, research has moved closer to elucidating the flux control and channeling, subunit biosynthesis and polymerization, transport mechanisms, and regulatory networks involved in plant PA metabolism. This review extends the conventional understanding with recent findings that provide new insights to address lingering questions and focus strategies for manipulating PA traits in plants.

Keywords: carbocation chemistry; condensed tannin; metabolic channeling; non-enzymatic polymerization; proanthocyanidin.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Crops, Agricultural / metabolism
Humans
Proanthocyanidins* / metabolism

Substances

Proanthocyanidins