11Leaf color mutation in sesame always affects the growth and development of plantlets, and their 12 yield. To clarify the mechanisms underlying leaf color regulation in sesame, we analyzed a 13 yellow-green leaf mutant. Genetic analysis of the mutant selfing revealed 3 phenotypes-YY, 14 light-yellow (lethal); Yy, yellow-green; and yy, normal green-controlled by an incompletely 15 dominant nuclear gene, Siyl-1. In YY and Yy, the number and morphological structure of the 16 chloroplast changed evidently, with disordered inner matter, and significantly decreased 17 chlorophyll content. To explore the regulation mechanism of leaf color mutation, the proteins 18 expressed among YY, Yy, and yy were analyzed. All 98 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) 19 were classified into 5 functional groups, in which photosynthesis and energy metabolism 20 (82.7%) occupied a dominant position. Our findings provide the basis for further molecular 21 mechanism and biochemical effect analysis of yellow leaf mutants in plants. 22 24which also contain numerous beneficial minerals, antioxidants, and multi-vitamins [1].
25Compared with other oilseed crops, sesame is still a low yield crop with low harvest index.
26The key research objectives in sesame are to increase the photosynthesis efficiency and the 27 yield per square area.
28Leaf color is an important trait related with the chlorophyll content, and always affects the 29 photosynthesis efficiency and the final productivity [2]. In plants, the chloroplast structure 30 always alters the composition and content of photosynthetic pigments. Several studies on the 31 leaf color mutants have uncovered a wide range of leaf color mutation types [3]. Most 32 mutagenesis of leaf color were related to the structure and function of the chloroplast [4], 33 chlorophyll biosynthesis and degradation mechanisms [5], photosynthesis [6], chloroplast 34 developmental characteristics [7], genetics [8], and molecular mechanisms [9]. Furthermore, 35some mutants were used for crop breeding to higher biomass, quality, and/or other specific 36 characteristics [10]. There is a rich diversity of leaf color mutation types in plants [11][12][13][14].
37Leaf color mutants were divided into five types according to the color classification albino, 38 yellowing, light-green, stripe, spot, etc [15, 16]. Falbel [12] divided the chlorophyll mutant 39 into two categories: (1) mutants that lack chlorophyll b, such as arabidopsis mutants [17], and
40(2) mutants with reduced synthesis of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll b; currently most 41 mutants belong to the latter category. Leaf color characteristics controlled by both nuclear 42 inheritance and cytoplasmic inheritance, may be a quantitative or a quality trait [18]. Most of 43 the leaf color variations are caused by nuclear gene mutation inducing a type of chlorophyll 44 deficiency in higher plants. The leaf color variations are mostly monogenic mutation, while a 45 handful of them are polygenic mutation. Among these mutations, the recessive mutations are 4...