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Transcriptomic analysis of hub genes regulating albinism in light- and temperature-sensitive albino tea cultivars ‘Zhonghuang 1’ and ‘Zhonghuang 2’

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Abstract

Albino tea cultivars have high economic value because their young leaves contain enhanced free amino acids that improve the quality and properties of tea. Zhonghuang 1 (ZH1) and Zhonghuang 2 (ZH2) are two such cultivars widely planted in China; however, the environmental factors and molecular mechanisms regulating their yellow-leaf phenotype remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that both ZH1 and ZH2 are light- and temperature-sensitive. Under natural sunlight and low-temperature conditions, their young shoots were yellow with decreased chlorophyll and an abnormal chloroplast ultrastructure. Conversely, young shoots were green with increased chlorophyll and a normal chloroplast ultrastructure under shading and high-temperature conditions. RNA-seq analysis was performed for high light and low light conditions, and pairwise comparisons identified genes exhibiting different light responses between albino and green-leaf cultivars, including transcription factors, cytochrome P450 genes, and heat shock proteins. Weighted gene coexpression network analyses of RNA-seq data identified the modules related to chlorophyll differences between cultivars. Genes involved in chloroplast biogenesis and development, light signaling, and JA biosynthesis and signaling were typically downregulated in albino cultivars, accompanied by a decrease in JA-ILE content in ZH2 during the albino period. Furthermore, we identified the hub genes that may regulate the yellow-leaf phenotype of ZH1 and ZH2, including CsGDC1, CsALB4, CsGUN4, and a TPR gene (TEA010575.1), which were related to chloroplast biogenesis. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying leaf color formation in albino tea cultivars.

Key message

ZH1 and ZH2 were identified as light- and temperature-sensitive albino tea cultivars. WGCNAidentified hub genes regulating the albino phenotype of ZH1 and ZH2.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Project for Collaborative Promotion of Agricultural Major Technology of Zhejiang Province (2022XTTGCY01-02), the Special Project of Zhejiang Province (2020R52036), the China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (CARS-19-01 A), and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences through an Innovation Project for Agricultural Sciences and Technology (CAAS-ASTIP-2021-TRICAAS).

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  1. Lu Wang and Taimei Di contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key laboratory of Biology, Genetics and Breeding of Special Economic Animals and Plants, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Center for Tea Plant Improvement, Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 310008, Hangzhou, China

    Lu Wang, Taimei Di, Nana Li, Jing Peng, Yedie Wu, Mingming He, Xinyuan Hao, Jianyan Huang, Changqing Ding, Yajun Yang & Xinchao Wang

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  1. Lu Wang
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Contributions

LW, XCW and YJY participated in the design and coordination of the study. LW, TMD, NNL, JP, YDW, MMH, XYH, JYH and CQD performed the experiments. LW, TMD and XCW analyzed and discussed the data. LW and XCW wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xinchao Wang.

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Wang, L., Di, T., Li, N. et al. Transcriptomic analysis of hub genes regulating albinism in light- and temperature-sensitive albino tea cultivars ‘Zhonghuang 1’ and ‘Zhonghuang 2’. Plant Mol Biol 114, 44 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-024-01430-3

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