Objective By analyzing the quantitative change of structural genes and metabolite of anthocyanin in 4 growth stages, the relationship between leaf-color mutation and gene expression was systematically illustrated.

Method The leaves of Camellia japonica 'Jinhua Meinü' were selected taking the leaves of C. japonica 'Nuccio's Bella Rossa', C. azalea, and C. japonica as control. NCBI Primer Designing Tool was used to design the primers and the gene expressing of DFR, ANS, UFGT, ANR and LAR were analyzed by real-time PCR and measured the contents of catechins, epicatechins and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside by HPLC.

Result (1) In the four growth stages, no significant difference was found in the expressing of DFR, nevertheless, the expressing of ANS, UFGT, ANR and LAR between red and green cultivar were obviously different, which indicating the express levels of those genes of flavonoids metabolic pathways had been altered in the leaves of C. japonica 'Jinhua Meinü'. (2) The content of polyphenols in the leaves of C. japonica 'Jinhua Meinü' were at a significantly lower level than the control groups, in particular, the content of epicatechins was only 0.04-0.21 mg·g^-1, which suggesting the synthetic route of polyphenols were astricted in physiological level. (3) The average content of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside in the leaves of C. japonica 'Jinhua Meinü' was 1.2-1.4 mg·g^-1, which was at a significantly higher level than the control groups in all the four growth stages. The content of cyanidin 3-O-glucoside could explain the capacity of synthesizing anthocyanins was kept in the leaves of the red cultivar.

Conclusion According to above data, it can be preliminary inferred that the leaf color of C. japonica 'Jinhua Meinü' related to the change of anthocyanins metabolic pathway.