Untargeted metabolomics and quantification analysis reveal the shift of chemical constituents between instant dark teas individually liquid-state fermented by Aspergillus cristatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus tubingensis.

Instant dark teas (IDTs) were individually liquid-state fermented using the fungi Aspergillus cristatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus tubingensis. To understand how the chemical constituents of IDTs were affected by the fungi, samples were collected and measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed that 1,380 chemical constituents were identified in positive and negative ion modes, and 858 kinds of chemical components were differential metabolites. Through cluster analysis, IDTs were different from the blank control, and their chemical constituents mostly included carboxylic acids and their derivatives, flavonoids, organooxygen compounds, and fatty acyls. And the metabolites of IDTs fermented by A. niger and A. tubingensis had a high degree of similarity and were classified into one category, which showed that the fungus used to ferment is critical to the formation of certain qualities of IDTs. The biosynthesis of flavonoids and phenylpropanoid, which involved nine different metabolites such as p-coumarate, p-coumaroyl-CoA, caffeate, ferulate, naringenin, kaempferol, leucocyanidin, cyanidin, and (-)-epicatechin, were significant pathways influencing the quality formation of IDTs. Quantification analysis indicated that the A. tubingensis fermented-IDT had the highest content of theaflavin, theabrownin, and caffeine, while the A. cristatus fermented-IDT had the lowest content of theabrownin, and caffeine. Overall, the results provided new insights into the relationship between the quality formation of IDTs and the microorganisms used in liquid-state fermentation.

Dynamic changes in the diversity and function of bacterial community during black tea processing.

Among all types of tea, black tea is produced in the largest amount worldwide, and its consumption is still increasing. Enzymatic fermentation is considered majorly contribute to quality formation of black tea, and the information about the roles of bacterial community in black tea processing is scarce. This study aimed to analyze the dynamic changes in composition, structure, and function of microbial communities during black tea processing and reveal the roles of bacterial community in black tea processing. Results showed that the genera Sphingomonas and Variovorax were dominant throughout the processing of black tea. Prediction function analysis of bacterial community showed that the mean proportions of glucuronoarabinoxylan endo - 1,4 - beta - xylanase, aminopeptidase B, phosphoserine phosphatase, homoserine O-acetyltransferase, glycolysis related enzymes, pyruvate dehydrogenase, tricarboxylic acid cycle related enzymes, and glyoxylate bypass were significantly elevated in the rolling and fermentation stages. The contents of amino acids, soluble sugar, theaflavins, thearubigins, and theabrownins increased greatly during the rolling and fermentation processes. Redundancy and Pearson's correlation analyses showed that the relative abundance of bacteria was closely related to the contents of water extract, tea polyphenols, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, catechin gallate, thearubigins, theaflavins, and theabrownins. Overall, the findings provided new insights into the variation of bacterial community during black tea processing and improved our understanding of the core functional bacteria involved in black tea processing.

The complete mitochondrial genome of a tea bagworm, Mahasena colona (Lepidoptera: Psychidae).

The mitochondrial genome of Mahasena colona Sonan has been sequenced and annotated completely. The entire genome is 16,119 bp in length with an A + T content of 82.85% (GenBank accession No. KY856825). The tea bagworm mt genome encodes all 37 genes that are typically found in animal mt genomes, consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes. Within the mt genome of M. colona, there are six gene reading frame overlaps. The gene order is consistent with other sequenced mt genome of moths and butterflies in Ditrysia. The mt genome of M. colona contains a 728 bp A + T-rich region with a high A + T content of 97.66%.

The complete mitochondrial genome of a tea geometrid, Ectropis obliqua (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).

The tea geometrid, Ectropis obliqua Prout (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), is a major pest of tea plantation and poses a considerable economic threat to tea industry. We have sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of E. obliqua. The entire genome is 16,535 bp in length with an A + T content of 81.32% (GenBank accession No. KX827002). The tea geometrid mt genome encodes all 37 genes that are typically found in animal mt genomes, consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCG), two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes. The gene order is consistent with other sequenced mt genome of moths and butterflies in Ditrysia. The A + T-rich region is 1523 bp long and consisting of the motif 'ATAGA', a 19 bp poly-T stretch, and a tandem repeat sequence with seven 194 bp repeat units. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using 13 PCG with 16 moths showed that E. obliqua clusters with other Geometridae species.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the tea lace bug, Stephanitis chinensis (Hemiptera: Tingidae).

The tea lace bug, Stephanitis chinensis Drake (Hemiptera: Tingidae), is a pest which feeds on the undersides of tea leaves by piercing the epidermis and sucking the sap, and causes great harm to plant growth and tea production. We have obtained the whole mitochondrial genome of S. chinensis (GenBank accession No. MF498769). The entire mt genome is 16,667 bp in size with an A + T content of 78.41%. The tea lace bug mt genome encodes all 37 genes that are typically found in animal mt genomes, consists of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA, and 22 transfer RNA genes. The gene order is consistent with other sequenced mt genome of lace bugs. The A + T-rich region of this genome is 2215 bp long with the A + T content of 82.58%, and located between the rrnS and trnI genes. Phylogenetic analysis performed using 13 PCGs with 14 heteropteran insects showed that S. chinensis clusters with other Tingidae species.

The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Aleurocanthus camelliae: Insights into Gene Arrangement and Genome Organization within the Family Aleyrodidae.

There are numerous gene rearrangements and transfer RNA gene absences existing in mitochondrial (mt) genomes of Aleyrodidae species. To understand how mt genomes evolved in the family Aleyrodidae, we have sequenced the complete mt genome of Aleurocanthus camelliae and comparatively analyzed all reported whitefly mt genomes. The mt genome of A. camelliae is 15,188 bp long, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 21 tRNA genes and a putative control region (GenBank: KU761949). The tRNA gene, trnI, has not been observed in this genome. The mt genome has a unique gene order and shares most gene boundaries with Tetraleurodes acaciae. Nineteen of 21 tRNA genes have the conventional cloverleaf shaped secondary structure and two (trnS1 and trnS2) lack the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. Using ARWEN and homologous sequence alignment, we have identified five tRNA genes and revised the annotation for three whitefly mt genomes. This result suggests that most absent genes exist in the genomes and have not been identified, due to be lack of technology and inference sequence. The phylogenetic relationships among 11 whiteflies and Drosophila melanogaster were inferred by maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Aleurocanthus camelliae and T. acaciae form a sister group, and all three Bemisia tabaci and two Bemisia afer strains gather together. These results are identical to the relationships inferred from gene order. We inferred that gene rearrangement plays an important role in the mt genome evolved from whiteflies.

The Dark-Purple Tea Cultivar 'Ziyan' Accumulates a Large Amount of Delphinidin-Related Anthocyanins.

Recently, we developed a novel tea cultivar 'Ziyan' with distinct purple leaves. There was a significant correlation between leaf color and anthocyanin pigment content in the leaves. A distinct allocation of metabolic flow 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 flavonoid 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 caffeine. 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.

The complete mitogenome of Jankowskia athleta (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).

We have sequenced the entire mitochondrial genome of Jankowskia athleta, that is 15 534 bp in length with a 79.53% A + T content (GenBank accession no. KR822683). The mt genome of J. athleta encodes 37 genes that are typically found in metazoan mt genomes, consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes. Within the mt genome of J. athleta, there are six gene reading frame overlaps. The gene order is consistent with other yet sequenced mt genome in Geometridae. The mt genome of J. athleta has a 475 bp A + T-rich region with an A + T content of 93.47%. The result of phylogenetic analysis infers that J. athleta is more closely related to species of Geometridae than other moths.