The dual fate of L-theanine in tea: Metabolic regulation and processing transformations.

Haiyan Cheng, Jinglei Zheng, Linyue Tu, Lin Chen, Weizhong He, Yuefei Wang, Zhonghua Liu, Ping Xu

Abstract readReview

In one paragraph

Review in Journal of advanced research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Haiyan ChengInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Jinglei ZhengInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Linyue TuInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Lin ChenInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Weizhong HeLishui Institute of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Lishui 323000, China.

Yuefei WangInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.

Zhonghua LiuInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.

Ping XuInstitute of Tea Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: zdxp@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundL-Theanine, the signature non-protein amino acid unique to tea (Camellia sinensis), is crucial for tea's health benefits and umami taste, yet its biosynthesis and stability face increasing threats from climate change and processing challenges. AIM OF REVIEW: This review intends to provide the comprehensive synthesis of L-theanine's dual fate from biosynthesis to cup by integrating recent breakthroughs in its biosynthesis, transport, stress responses, and processing transformations. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF THIS REVIEW: This review systematically elucidated the complete "root-to-shoot" metabolic pathway regulated by key genes and transporters of L-theanine, and summarized stress-adaptive mechanisms where L-theanine serves as both nitrogen reservoir and stress protectant, and further constructed a comprehensive analytical for L-theanine-derived flavor compound formation during tea processing. By bridging fundamental discoveries in plant physiology with practical applications in food chemistry, this work provides new insights into innovative strategies for developing climate-resilient tea varieties through molecular breeding and optimizing processing technologies to enhance product quality.

Indexed as

Camellia sinensisGlutamatesTeaMetabolic Networks and PathwaysGlutamatesTeatheanineChemical interactionsDegradationEnvironmental regulationL-TheanineNitrogen shuttle mechanismTea processing

Identifiers

PMID41067627

DOI10.1016/j.jare.2025.10.002

PMCPMC13316357

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.