College of Horticulture, School of Future Technology, and Haixia Institute of Science and Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China; College of Ecology and Resources Engineering, Wuyi University, Wuyishan 354300, Fujian, China.
College of Ecology and Resources Engineering, Wuyi University, Wuyishan 354300, Fujian, China.
Curr Biol. 2024 Feb 26;34(4):868-880.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.044. Epub 2024 Feb 15.
The flavor profile of tea is influenced not only by different tea varieties but also by the surrounding soil environment. Recent studies have indicated the regulatory role of soil microbes residing in plant roots in nutrient uptake and metabolism. However, the impact of this regulatory mechanism on tea quality remains unclear. In this study, we showed that a consortium of microbes isolated from tea roots enhanced ammonia uptake and facilitated the synthesis of theanine, a key determinant of tea taste. Variations were observed in the composition of microbial populations colonizing tea roots and the rhizosphere across different seasons and tea varieties. By comparing the root microorganisms of the high-theanine tea variety Rougui with the low-theanine variety Maoxie, we identified a specific group of microbes that potentially modulate nitrogen metabolism, subsequently influencing the theanine levels in tea. Furthermore, we constructed a synthetic microbial community (SynCom) mirroring the microbe population composition found in Rougui roots. Remarkably, applying SynCom resulted in a significant increase in the theanine content of tea plants and imparted greater tolerance to nitrogen deficiency in Arabidopsis. Our study provides compelling evidence supporting the use of root microorganisms as functional microbial fertilizers to enhance tea quality.
茶叶的风味不仅受不同品种的影响，还受周围土壤环境的影响。最近的研究表明，植物根部的土壤微生物在养分吸收和代谢中具有调节作用。然而，这种调节机制对茶叶质量的影响尚不清楚。在这项研究中，我们表明，从茶树根部分离出的微生物组合增强了氨的吸收，并促进了茶氨酸的合成，茶氨酸是决定茶叶口感的关键因素。不同季节和不同品种的茶树根部和根际的微生物种群组成存在差异。通过比较高茶氨酸品种“瑞桂”和低茶氨酸品种“茅香”的根微生物，我们鉴定出了一组可能调节氮代谢的特定微生物，从而影响茶叶中的茶氨酸水平。此外，我们构建了一个模拟瑞桂根中微生物种群组成的合成微生物群落（SynCom）。值得注意的是，应用 SynCom 显著增加了茶树中的茶氨酸含量，并提高了拟南芥对氮缺乏的耐受性。我们的研究为利用根微生物作为功能性微生物肥料来提高茶叶质量提供了有力的证据。
