CsVTT1, a PQ-loop vacuolar amino acid transporter, mediates vacuolar theanine storage in tea plant roots under nitrogen supply.

CsVTT1, a PQ-loop vacuolar amino acid transporter in tea plant roots, is nitrogen-inducible and strongly correlates with theanine accumulation across nitrogen regimes.

• Why it matters: Theanine is a major nitrogen storage amino acid driving tea umami and health benefits, yet the mechanisms controlling its vacuolar accumulation are unclear.
• What they did: CsVTT1 was identified via yeast mutant library screening, gene-expression/theanine correlation analysis, and homologous complementation, then tested in yeast and Xenopus laevis oocytes for vacuolar transport.
• The result: CsVTT1 overexpression increased theanine in tea roots while knockdown reduced it, and in rice it raised arginine, supporting a conserved role in nitrogen storage.

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