Title：
The Dark-Purple Tea Cultivar 'Ziyan' Accumulates a Large Amount of Delphinidin-Related Anthocyanins
Authors：
Yun-Song Lai, Sha Li, Qian Tang,* Huan-Xiu Li, Shen-Xiang Chen, Pin-Wu Li, in-Yi Xu, Yan Xu, and Xiang Guo
Journal:
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
DOL:
10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04036
Abstract:
Recently, we developed a novel tea cultivar ‘Ziyan’ with distinct purple leaves. There was a signifificant correlation between leaf color and anthocyanin pigment content in the leaves. A distinct allocation of metabolic flflow for B-ring trihydroxylated anthocyanins and catechins in ‘Ziyan’ was observed. Delphinidin, cyanidin, and pelargonidin (88.15 mg/100 g FW in total) but no other anthocyanin pigments were detected in ‘Ziyan’, and delphinidin (70.76 mg/100 g FW) was particularly predominant. An analysis of the catechin content in ‘Ziyan’ and eight other cultivars indicated that ‘Ziyan’ exhibits a preference for synthesizing B-ring trihydroxylated catechins (with a proportion of 74%). The full-length cDNA sequences of flflavonoid pathway genes were isolated by RNA-Seq coupled with conventional TA cloning, and their expression patterns were characterized. Purple-leaved cultivars had lower amounts of total catechins, polyphenols, and water extract than ordinary non anthocyanin cultivars but similar levels of caffffeine. Because dark-purple-leaved Camellia species are rare in nature, this study provides new insights into the interplay between the accumulations of anthocyanins and other bioactive components in tea leaves.
