Seasonal variations of Artemisinin and its biosynthetic precursors in tetraploid Artemisia annua plants compared with the diploid wild-type.
Using colchicine we induced tetraploidy in Artemisia annua L. plants. During a vegetation period we monitored the time course of the levels of artemisinin, its direct precursors, the biosynthetically related sesquiterpenes and the essential oil content in the diploid (wild-type) and tetraploid A. annua plants. The averaged artemisinin level in tetraploids was 38% higher than that of the wild-type as measured over the whole vegetation period. In contrast, the averaged essential oil content of the tetraploids over this period was 32% lower. This might suggest a reciprocal correlation between artemisinin (sesquiterpenes) and the essential oil content (monoterpenes). The averaged biomass of the leaves of the tetraploid plants was lower compared to the wild-type plants. Therefore, the artemisinin yield per m2 tetraploids was decreased by 25%. Although the tetraploid plants were smaller than the wild-type plants, certain individual organs like the leaves were considerably larger, and seeds obtained by cross pollination between tetraploid A. annua plants had a spectacular size. In principle, tetraploid A. annua can be a useful starting material for a breeding program in order to obtain larger and faster growing plants, which produce higher levels of artemisinin.
Eelco Wallaart
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Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, University Centre for Pharmacy, Groningen Institute for Drug Studies, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Pras
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Quax
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WJ
D037621:Artemisinins; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000235:genetics*; D011003:Ploidies; D012621:Seasons; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C031327:artemisinin