Table 1_Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of the mechanism underlying pericarp variegation in Citrus reticulata ‘Gonggan’.xlsx

The variegated ‘Gonggan’ mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) exhibits distinct phenotypic differences compared to the normal cultivar. However, the physiological and genetic basis for this variation remains unclear.</p>Methods<p>In this study, we integrated physiological measurements, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and transcriptome sequencing to characterize the pericarp of the variegated ‘Gonggan’ mandarin during early fruit development stage.</p>Results<p>Compared with the normal ‘Gonggan’ mandarin, lightness and chromaticity values of the pericarp color exhibited significantly elevated in the variegated ‘Gonggan’ mandarin.

Physiological assays revealed a drastic reduction in chlorophyll a and b contents (by 75.76% and 58.33%, respectively) and a moderate increase in total carotenoids (28.61%) in the variegated ‘Gonggan’ mandarin. Notably, phytoene accumulation in the pericarp of the variegated ‘Gonggan’ mandarin was 44.35-fold higher than that in the normal fruit, while metabolites in the middle and downstream pathway of carotenoid biosynthesis such as β-carotene and lutein were significantly reduced.