The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
Cold stress in tea plants lowers pectin degree of methylesterification (DM) and triggers coordinated cellular remodeling, linked to cold-responsive CsPME6/CsPMEI8/CsPMEI17 regulation.
- Why it matters: Pectin methylesterification is important for defense and development, but its coordinated control of cold tolerance versus growth in perennial crops like tea is unclear.
- What they did: Genome-wide profiling identified 100 PME and 42 PMEI genes; CsPME6, CsPMEI8, and CsPMEI17 are cold-responsive and localize to the nucleus and apoplast, and CsLUX binds their promoters.
- The result: CsPME6 increases PME activity to reduce pectin DM and enhances cold tolerance, while CsPMEI8 and CsPMEI17 inhibit PME activity or CsPME6 to maintain higher DM; the CsLUX module also supports glutamate/γ-aminobutyric acid metabolism and growth traits.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.