A role for ascorbate conjugates of (+)-catechin in proanthocyanidin polymerization

Keji Yu, Richard A. Dixon and Changqing Duan ()
Additional contact information
Keji Yu: China Agricultural University
Richard A. Dixon: University of North Texas
Changqing Duan: China Agricultural University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-17

Abstract: Abstract Proanthocyanidins (PAs) are natural polymers of flavan-3-ols, commonly (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin. However, exactly how PA oligomerization proceeds is poorly understood. Here we show, both biochemically and genetically, that ascorbate (AsA) is an alternative “starter unit” to flavan-3-ol monomers for leucocyanidin-derived (+)-catechin subunit extension in the Arabidopsis thaliana anthocyanidin synthase (ans) mutant. These (catechin)n:ascorbate conjugates (AsA-[C]n) also accumulate throughout the phase of active PA biosynthesis in wild-type grape flowers, berry skins and seeds. In the presence of (−)-epicatechin, AsA-[C]n can further provide monomeric or oligomeric PA extension units for non-enzymatic polymerization in vitro, and their role in vivo is inferred from analysis of relative metabolite levels in both Arabidopsis and grape. Our findings advance the knowledge of (+)-catechin-type PA extension and indicate that PA oligomerization does not necessarily proceed by sequential addition of a single extension unit. AsA-[C]n defines a new type of PA intermediate which we term “sub-PAs”.

Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-31153-2 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-31153-2

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31153-2

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().