AUTHOR=Wang Yaochen , Li Jinjin , Chen Yixin , Yu Zhaowei , Liu Puyuan , Li Guolei , Yang Qinsong 

TITLE=Genome-wide identification of TCP transcription factors and their potential roles in hydrolyzable tannin production in Quercus variabilis cupule

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1444081

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2024.1444081

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) have garnered significant attention due to their proven beneficial effects in the clinical treatment of various diseases. The cupule of Chinese cork oak (<italic>Quercus variabilis</italic> Blume) has been used as raw material of traditional medicine for centuries for its high content of HTs. Previous studies have identified UGT84A13 as a key enzyme in the HT biosynthesis pathway in <italic>Q. variabilis</italic>, but the transcriptional regulation network of <italic>UGT84A13</italic> remains obscure. Here, we performed a comprehensive genome-wide identification of the TCP transcription factors in <italic>Q. variabilis</italic>, elucidating their molecular evolution and gene structure. Gene expression analysis showed that <italic>TCP3</italic> from the CIN subfamily and <italic>TCP6</italic> from the PCF subfamily were co-expressed with <italic>UGT84A13</italic> in cupule. Further functional characterization using dual-luciferase assays confirmed that TCP3, rather than TCP6, played a role in the transcriptional regulation of <italic>UGT84A13</italic>, thus promoting HT biosynthesis in the cupule of <italic>Q. variabilis</italic>. Our work identified TCP family members in <italic>Q. variabilis</italic> for the first time, and provided novel insights into the transcriptional regulatory network of <italic>UGT84A13</italic> and HT biosynthesis in <italic>Q. variabilis</italic>, explaining the reason why the cupule enriches HTs that could be used for traditional medicine.</p>