Research Progress of N- methyltransferases Involved in Caffeine Biosynthesis

YAN Changyu; REN Qiujing; CHEN Xiaofang; LI Bin; CHEN Zhongzheng

doi:10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2014.06.013

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Journal of Tea Science ›› 2014, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (6) : 531-540. DOI: 10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2014.06.013

Research Progress of N- methyltransferases Involved in Caffeine Biosynthesis

YAN Changyu^1,2, REN Qiujing¹, CHEN Xiaofang¹, LI Bin^1,*, CHEN Zhongzheng^1,*

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Abstract

Caffeine is one of the main quality and functional components in beverage such as tea, coffee, etc. At present, a xanthosine→7-methylxanthosine→7-methylxanthine→theobromine→caffeine pathway is supported as the major route to caffeine, and it is synthesized through three methylation reactions by N- methyltransferase and a nucleosidase reaction by nucleoside hydrolase. N- methyltransferases(NMTs) are important enzymes in caffeine synthesis process. In this paper, the profile of caffeine in plant and the pathway of caffeine synthesis were introduced, and the research progress on the enzymology properties, gene cloning and expression, the relationship of gene function and structure of NMTs involved in caffeine biosynthesis were mainly reviewed. Finally, the research emphasis in the field for the future was discussed and prospected.

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caffeine / N-methyltransferase / research progress

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YAN Changyu, REN Qiujing, CHEN Xiaofang, LI Bin, CHEN Zhongzheng. Research Progress of N- methyltransferases Involved in Caffeine Biosynthesis[J]. Journal of Tea Science. 2014, 34(6): 531-540 https://doi.org/10.13305/j.cnki.jts.2014.06.013

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