Abstract Background The major aluminum (Al) detoxication mechanism of tea plant (Camellia sinensis), as an Al hyperaccumulator plant, is the fixation of almost 70% of Al in the cell walls. Pectin is the primary constituent of cell walls, a degree of methylation of pectin polysaccharides regulated by the pectin methylesterase (PME) genes can greatly affect the Al binding capacity. The knowledge on PME gene family in tea plant is still poor. Results We identified 66 (CsPME1-CsPME66) PME genes from C. sinensis genome. We studied their protein characterization, conserved motifs, gene structure, systematic evolution and gene expression under Al treatments, to establish a basis for in-depth research on the function of PMEs in tea plant. Gene structures analysis revealed that the majority of PME genes had 2–4 exons. Phylogenetic results pointed out that the PME genes from the same species displayed comparatively high sequence consistency and genetic similarity. Selective pressure investigation suggested that the Ka/Ks value for homologous genes of PME family was less than one. The expression of CsPMEs under three Al concentration treatments was tissue specific, eight PME genes in leaves and 15 in roots displayed a trend similar to of the Al contents and PME activities under Al concentration treatments, indicating that the degree of pectin de-esterification regulated by PME was crucial for Al tolerance of tea plant. Conclusions Sixty-six CsPME genes were identified for the first time in tea plant. The genome-wide identification, classification, evolutionary and transcription analyses of the PME gene family provided a new direction for further research on the function of PME gene in Al tolerance of tea plant.
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