Metabolic Flux Redirection and Transcriptomic Reprogramming in the Albino Tea Cultivar 'Yu-Jin-Xiang' with an Emphasis on Catechin Production.
In this study, shade-induced conversion from a young pale/yellow leaf phenotype to a green leaf phenotype was studied using metabolic and transcriptomic profiling and the albino cultivar 'Yu-Jin-Xiang' ('YJX') of Camellia sinensis for a better understanding of mechanisms underlying the phenotype shift and the altered catechin and theanine production. Shaded leaf greening resulted from an increase in leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid abundance and chloroplast development. A total of 1,196 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the 'YJX' pale and shaded green leaves, and these DEGs affected 'chloroplast organization' and 'response to high light' besides many other biological processes and pathways. Metabolic flux redirection and transcriptomic reprogramming were found in flavonoid and carotenoid pathways of the 'YJX' pale leaves and shaded green leaves to different extents compared to the green cultivar 'Shu-Cha-Zao'. Enhanced production of the antioxidant quercetin rather than catechin biosynthesis was correlated positively with the enhanced transcription of FLAVONOL SYNTHASE and FLAVANONE/FLAVONOL HYDROXYLASES leading to quercetin accumulation and negatively correlated to suppressed LEUCOANTHOCYANIDIN REDUCTASE, ANTHOCYANIDIN REDUCTASE and SYNTHASE leading to catechin biosynthesis. The altered levels of quercetin and catechins in 'YJX' will impact on its tea flavor and health benefits.
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Guo-Feng
GF
Liu
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Zhuo-Xiao
ZX
Han
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Lin
L
Feng
College of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Li-Ping
LP
Gao
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon Research Centre, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X2, Canada.
Ming-Jun
MJ
Gao
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon Research Centre, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X2, Canada.
Margaret Y
MY
Gruber
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Zhao-Liang
ZL
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Tao
T
Xia
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Xiao-Chun
XC
Wan
State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, Anhui Agricultural University, 130 Changjiang Ave W., Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
Shu
S
Wei
D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002392:Catechin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D065150:Cellular Reprogramming; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000235:genetics*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D005971:Glutamates / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D058977:Molecular Sequence Annotation; D010641:Phenotype; D010858:Pigmentation; D018515:Plant Leaves; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D059467:Transcriptome
D005419:Flavonoids; D005971:Glutamates; C026166:theanine; D002392:Catechin