Genetic Variation of Flavonols Quercetin, Myricetin, and Kaempferol in the Sri Lankan Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) and Their Health-Promoting Aspects.

Flavonol glycosides in tea leaves have been quantified as aglycones, quercetin, myricetin, and kaempferol. Occurrence of the said compounds was reported in fruits and vegetable for a long time in association with the antioxidant potential. However, data on flavonols in tea were scanty and, hence, this study aims to envisage the flavonol content in a representative pool of accessions present in the Sri Lankan tea germplasm.

New Sample Preparation Method for Quantification of Phenolic Compounds of Tea (Camellia sinensis L. Kuntze): A Polyphenol Rich Plant.

Chemical analysis of the Sri Lankan tea (Camellia sinensis, L.) germplasm would immensely contribute to the success of the tea breeding programme. However, the polyphenols, particularly catechins (flavan-3-ols), are readily prone to oxidation in the conventional method of sample preparation.

Quantification of gamma-aminobutyric acid in Sri Lankan tea by means of ultra performance tandem mass spectrometry.

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), an important bioactive component of tea, acts as a major inhibitory neurotransmitter and is considered to influence other physiological processes in human as well as in planta. In the hereby presented study, the content of this valuable metabolite was investigated in two novel types of Ceylon Tea, explicitly "Silver Tips" and "White Tea", originating from minimally processed buds of the unique cultivar, "TRI 2043". The samples were subjected to hot water infusion, equivalent to the traditional beverage preparation procedure, and analyzed by means of hydrophilic interaction ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC LC-MS/MS).

Functional characterization of proanthocyanidin pathway enzymes from tea and their application for metabolic engineering.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is rich in specialized metabolites, especially polyphenolic proanthocyanidins (PAs) and their precursors. To better understand the PA pathway in tea, we generated a complementary DNA library from leaf tissue of the blister blight-resistant tea cultivar TRI2043 and functionally characterized key enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of PA precursors. Structural genes encoding enzymes involved in the general phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathway and the PA-specific branch pathway were well represented in the library.

Exobasidium vexans infection of Camellia sinensis increased 2,3-cis isomerisation and gallate esterification of proanthocyanidins.

Infection of leaves of tea (Camellia sinensis (Kuntze) L, cv TRI 2025) which was susceptible to blister blight (Exobasidium vexans Massee), resulted in a shift of the proanthocyanidin stereochemistry away from 2,3-trans (e.g. catechin and gallocatechin) and towards 2,3-cis (e.