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Fields of Expertise: Phytonutrient biochemistry; metabolism and regulation of phenolics; metabolism and regulation of carotenoids; biofortification of food crops; pathway discovery in edible medicinal plants

Author's details: Li Tian received her Ph.D. in Plant Biology at Michigan State University and obtained postdoctoral training in natural product biochemistry at the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. She joined the faculty at the University of California, Davis in 2008. Li Tian is currently a Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences, a member of the Food for Health Institute, and an associate member of the Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was elected the 2022-2023 President of the Phytochemical Society of North America. Her research group is interested in understanding the biosynthesis, regulation, and function of phytonutrients in plants, with the goal of applying this understanding to targeted modification/breeding for crop phytonutrient profiles with improved nutritional and medicinal value.

Abstract: Hydrolyzable tannins (HTs) are polyphenolic compounds derived from the shikimate pathway. HTs play important roles in plant defense against microbes and herbivores. More attention has been devoted to HTs due to their human health benefits; in addition to being potent antioxidants, HTs exhibit cancer chemopreventive, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities. Despite the documented functions of HTs in plant protection and their bioactivities in the human diet, the biosynthetic pathway leading to HT production in plants has only begun to be elucidated recently. Addressing knowledge gaps in our understanding of HT biosynthesis can open the door to improved plant chemical composition and human health. The progress and outstanding questions in HT metabolism and regulation will be discussed in this chapter.