紫甘薯块根细胞中富含花青素，花青素在紫甘薯块根细胞中主要以花青素小体（AVIs）的聚集形式存在，以往对紫甘薯花青素的研究多集中在花青素的提取纯化、组分的构效关系和生物合成等方面，而紫甘薯花青素小体(AVIs)的形成过程和花青素分子在细胞中的聚集过程及其稳定性之间的关系尚未见系统研究。本项目综合运用细胞生物学、植物解剖学、植物化学等方法，系统研究不同发育时期不同部位紫甘薯花青素小体(AVIs)的形成过程并阐明其超微结构变化，探讨紫甘薯花青素分子的合成部位、转运途径和储存部位及其存在形式变化，从细胞学上阐明紫甘薯花青素富集积累机制；并探讨花青素小体(AVIs)存在形式与花青素含量之间的相关性，及紫甘薯花青素组分、稳定性变化与花青素小体(AVIs)存在形式的关系，研究结果可为薯类植物花青素的合成与色素积累的关系提供理论依据。

Purple sweet potato tuber cells contain high amount of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins in purple sweet potato tuber cells mainly exist in the gathered form of Anthocyanic vacuolar inclusions (AVIs). Previous studies on anthocyanins from purple sweet potato were mostly focused on the pigment extraction, purification, the structure-activity relationship of components and biosynthesis, with little knowledge of the relationship between cells structural changes of AVIs and anthocyanins molecules accumulation in cell and its stability. In this project, the combination methods from plant cell biology, plant anatomy, plant chemistry will be used to study AVIs formation process of different position in purple sweet potato and to clarify its ultrastructural changes. At the same time, purple sweet potato anthocyanins molecules produce position, transporter pathways and storage site and its existing form will be also determined. Based on the information of cell structure developmental regulation, we will further reveal the mechanism of anthocyanin accumulation from the cytological and the correlation between form of AVIs and content of anthocyanin in purple sweet potato, investigate the relationship between the stability of anthocyanins and the form of AVIs existed in purple sweet potato. This project will provide a new theoretical basis for anthocyanin synthesis and pigment accumulation in potato tubers.