Regulation of formation of volatile compounds of tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves by single light wavelength

Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 16:5:16858. doi: 10.1038/srep16858.

Abstract

Regulation of plant growth and development by light wavelength has been extensively studied. Less attention has been paid to effect of light wavelength on formation of plant metabolites. The objective of this study was to investigate whether formation of volatiles in preharvest and postharvest tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves can be regulated by light wavelength. In the present study, in contrast to the natural light or dark treatment, blue light (470 nm) and red light (660 nm) significantly increased most endogenous volatiles including volatile fatty acid derivatives (VFADs), volatile phenylpropanoids/benzenoids (VPBs), and volatile terpenes (VTs) in the preharvest tea leaves. Furthermore, blue and red lights significantly up-regulated the expression levels of 9/13-lipoxygenases involved in VFADs formation, phenylalanine ammonialyase involved in VPBs formation, and terpene synthases involved in VTs formation. Single light wavelength had less remarkable influences on formation of volatiles in the postharvest leaves compared with the preharvest leaves. These results suggest that blue and red lights can be promising technology for remodeling the aroma of preharvest tea leaves. Furthermore, our study provided evidence that light wavelength can activate the expression of key genes involved in formation of plant volatiles for the first time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / genetics
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / metabolism
  • Camellia sinensis / chemistry*
  • Camellia sinensis / growth & development
  • Camellia sinensis / radiation effects
  • Electrophoresis, Capillary
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Light*
  • Linoleic Acid / analysis
  • Lipoxygenases / genetics
  • Lipoxygenases / metabolism
  • Phenylalanine / analysis
  • Phenylalanine / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / radiation effects
  • Plant Proteins / genetics
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Terpenes / metabolism
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / analysis*
  • Volatile Organic Compounds / metabolism
  • alpha-Linolenic Acid / analysis

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Terpenes
  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • alpha-Linolenic Acid
  • Phenylalanine
  • Linoleic Acid
  • Lipoxygenases
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases
  • terpene synthase