title: Characterisation of volatile and non-volatile metabolites in etiolated leaves of tea (Camellia sinensis) plants in the dark.
abstract: Aroma is an essential factor affecting the quality of tea (Camellia sinensis) products. While changes of volatile compounds during tea manufacturing have been intensively studied, the effect of environmental factors on volatile contents of fresh tea leaves has received less attention. We found that C. sinensis var. Yabukita kept in darkness by shading treatment for 3 weeks developed etiolated leaves with significantly increased levels of volatiles, especially volatile phenylpropanoids/benzenoids (VPBs). Upstream metabolites of VPBs, in particular shikimic acid, prephenic acid, and phenylpyruvic acid, showed lower levels in dark treated than in control leaves, whereas the contents of most amino acids including l-phenylalanine, a key precursor of VPBs, were significantly enhanced. In addition, analysis by ultra performance liquid chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry, capillary electrophoresis-time of flight mass spectrometry, high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that volatile and non-volatile metabolite profiles differed significantly between dark treated and untreated leaves.
authors.affiliation: South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xingke Road 723, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510650, China.
authors.forename: Ziyin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Katsuno
authors.forename: Toshimichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asanuma
authors.forename: Tamaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.forename: Takamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomomura
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Takaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watase
authors.forename: Yoriyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Naoharu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003624:Darkness; D055442:Metabolome; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds