Formation of 8-hydroxylinalool in tea plant Camellia sinensis var. Assamica ‘Hainan dayezhong’

Linalool and its derivatives contribute greatly to tea aroma. Here, 8-hydroxylinalool was found to be one of the major linalool-derived aroma compounds in Camellia sinensis var. assamica ‘Hainan dayezhong’, a tea plant grown in Hainan Province, China. Both (Z)-8-hydroxylinalool and (E)-8-hydroxylinalool were detected, and the E type was the main compound. Its content fluctuated in different months and was the highest in the buds compared with other tissues. CsCYP76B1 and CsCYP76T1, located in the endoplasmic reticulum, were identified to catalyze the formation of 8-hydroxylinalool from linalool in the tea plant. During withering of black tea manufacturing, the content of both (Z)-8-hydroxylinalool and (E)-8-hydroxylinalool significantly increased. Further study suggested that jasmonate induced gene expression of CsCYP76B1 and CsCYP76T1, and the accumulated precursor linalool may also contribute to 8-hydroxylinalool accumulation. Thus, this study not only reveals 8-hydroxylinalool biosynthesis in tea plants but also sheds light on aroma formation in black tea.