title: Phenotypic, histological and proteomic analyses reveal multiple differences associated with chloroplast development in yellow and variegated variants from Camellia sinensis.
abstract: Leaf colour variation is observed in several plants. We obtained two types of branches with yellow and variegated leaves from Camellia sinensis. To reveal the mechanisms that underlie the leaf colour variations, combined morphological, histological, ionomic and proteomic analyses were performed using leaves from abnormal branches (variants) and normal branches (CKs). The measurement of the CIE-Lab coordinates showed that the brightness and yellowness of the variants were more intense than the CKs. When chloroplast profiles were analysed, HY1 (branch with yellow leaves) and HY2 (branch with variegated leaves) displayed abnormal chloroplast structures and a reduced number and size compared with the CKs, indicating that the abnormal chloroplast development might be tightly linked to the leaf colour variations. Moreover, the concentration of elemental minerals was different between the variants and the CKs. Furthermore, DEPs (differentially expressed proteins) were identified in the variants and the CKs by a quantitative proteomics analysis using the label-free approach. The DEPs were significantly involved in photosynthesis and included PSI, PSII, cytochrome b6/f complex, photosynthetic electron transport, LHC and F-type ATPase. Our results suggested that a decrease in the abundance of photosynthetic proteins might be associated with the changes of leaf colours in tea plants.
authors.affiliation: Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation &Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Chengying
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation &Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Junxi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
authors.forename: Jianke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation &Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation &Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Jinchi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Tea Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China.|Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Resources Innovation &Utilization, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Aiqing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miao
mesh_terms: D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004602:Elements; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D063990:Gene Ontology; D007477:Ions; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D010858:Pigmentation; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004602:Elements; D007477:Ions; D008903:Minerals; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger