{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T13:14:48Z","timestamp":1777900488953,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,9]],"date-time":"2021-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1631145600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Plant Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:italic>Camellia sinensis<\/jats:italic> cv. \u2018Yanlingyinbiancha\u2019 is a leaf-variegated mutant with stable genetic traits. The current study aimed to reveal the differences between its albino and green tissues, and the molecular mechanism underlying the variegation. Anatomic analysis showed the chloroplasts of albino tissues to have no intact lamellar structure. Photosynthetic pigment in albino tissues was significantly lower than that in green tissues, whereas all catechin components were more abundant in the former. Transcriptome analysis revealed most differentially expressed genes involved in the biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigment, photosynthesis, and energy metabolism to be downregulated in albino tissues while most of those participating in flavonoid metabolism were upregulated. In addition, it was found cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) and phytochrome B (PHYB) genes that encode blue and red light photoreceptors to be downregulated. These photoreceptors mediate chloroplast protein gene expression, chloroplast protein import and photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis. Simultaneously, SUS gene, which was upregulated in albino tissues, encodes sucrose synthase considered a biochemical marker for sink strength. Collectively, we arrived to the following conclusions: (1) repression of the biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigment causes albinism; (2) destruction of photoreceptors in albino tissues suppresses photomorphogenesis, leading to abnormal chloroplast development; (3) albino tissues receive sucrose from the green tissues and decompose their own storage substances to obtain the energy needed for survival; and (4) UV-B signal and brassinosteroids promote flavonoid biosynthesis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2021.720800","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,9]],"date-time":"2021-09-09T11:45:05Z","timestamp":1631187905000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":23,"title":["Disruption of Photomorphogenesis Leads to Abnormal Chloroplast Development and Leaf Variegation in Camellia sinensis"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Xizhi","family":"Gao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chenyu","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cui","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Minghan","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nianci","family":"Xie","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jianjiao","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yunfei","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jiahao","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chengwen","family":"Shen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1111\/tpj.12230","article-title":"Arabidopsis plants lacking PsbQ and PsbR subunits of the oxygen-evolving complex show altered PSII super-complex organization and short-term adaptive mechanisms","volume":"75","author":"Allahverdiyeva","year":"2013","journal-title":"Plant J"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"904","DOI":"10.1104\/pp.109.135780","article-title":"Chloroplast photooxidation-induced transcriptome reprogramming in Arabidopsis immutans white leaf sectors","volume":"150","author":"Aluru","year":"2009","journal-title":"Plant Physiol"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1350","DOI":"10.1093\/pcp\/pcn111","article-title":"Role of Arabidopsis CHL27 protein for photosynthesis, chloroplast development and gene expression profiling","volume":"49","author":"Bang","year":"2008","journal-title":"Plant Cell Physiol"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-0348-7836-4","volume-title":"Carotenoids Handbook","author":"Britton","year":"2004"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1105\/tpc.11.1.57","article-title":"Mutations in the Arabidopsis gene IMMUTANS cause a variegated phenotype by inactivating a chloroplast terminal oxidase associated with phytoene desaturation","volume":"11","author":"Carol","year":"1999","journal-title":"Plant Cell"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2110","DOI":"10.5897\/JMPR.9001187","article-title":"The aroma, taste, color and bioactive constituents of tea","volume":"5","author":"Chaturvedula","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. 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