Amino acid transporter CsBAT links GABA accumulation to flavonoid metabolism in <i>Camellia sinensis</i>.

ABSTRACT: γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a four-carbon non-protein amino acid functions as a key signaling molecule in plants. As a signature bioactive compound in tea, GABA plays a crucial role in determining both flavor profile and health-promoting properties. Despite its importance, the molecular regulation of GABA accumulation in tea plants-especially its metabolic crosstalk with key quality determinants like flavonoids-remains elusive. While amino acid transporters are known to mediate source-sink allocation in plants, the functional characterization of GABA transporters in Camellia sinensis has been lacking. In this study, we identified and functionally characterized the bidirectional amino acid transporter CsBAT in tea plants. Through a comprehensive multiplatform validation system encomp

SUBMITTER: Feng L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12861478 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature