title: Light regulation to chlorophyll synthesis and plastid development of the chlorophyll-less golden-leaf privet.
abstract: Ligustrum vicaryi L. is a hybrid of Ligustrum ovalifolium Hassk. var. aureo-marginatum and Ligustrum vulgale L., and displays a chlorophyll-less phenotype. Therefore it is widely used as a horticultural shrub because of its golden-color leaves. Its putative mechanism, light responses, chlorophyll synthesis and plastid development were studied. L. vicaryi has a higher level of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), but lower levels of chlorophylls compared with L. quihoui. The yellowish phenotype of L. vicaryi upper leaves could be attributed to their hampered conversion from chlorophyllide into chlorophyll a. Despite the enhanced ALA level and the decreased thylakoid stacking in plastids, L. vicaryi golden leaves contain normal levels of Lhcb transcripts and photosystem apoproteins. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation is almost the same in L. vicaryi and L. quihoui. The golden leaves often turn green and the contents of chlorophylls increase with decreasing light intensity. Dynamic changes of chlorophyll-synthesis-system under the light transition were also analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Mo-Yun
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yang-Er
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jun-Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhong-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zi-Chan
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zhong-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Hong-Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D031659:Ligustrum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism; D018087:Plastids; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids