title: Salicylic acid activates artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua L.
abstract: This paper provides evidence that salicylic acid (SA) can activate artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua L. Exogenous application of SA to A. annua leaves was followed by a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the conversion of dihydroartemisinic acid into artemisinin. In the 24 h after application, SA application led to a gradual increase in the expression of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) gene and a temporary peak in the expression of the amorpha-4,11-diene synthase (ADS) gene. However, the expression of the farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FDS) gene and the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP71AV1) gene showed little change. At 96 h after SA (1.0 mM) treatment, the concentration of artemisinin, artemisinic acid and dihydroartemisinic acid were 54, 127 and 72% higher than that of the control, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that SA induces artemisinin biosynthesis in at least two ways: by increasing the conversion of dihydroartemisinic acid into artemisinin caused by the burst of ROS, and by up-regulating the expression of genes involved in artemisinin biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Haidian District, 100093, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Gao-Bin
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Dong-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jian-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lan-Qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guo-Feng
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: He-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Ben-Ye
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D051228:Geranyltranstransferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D025782:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA-Reductases, NADP-dependent / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D020156:Salicylic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C520462:dihydroartemisinic acid; C047721:artemisic acid; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; C031327:artemisinin; D025782:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA-Reductases, NADP-dependent; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; C403714:amorpha-4,11-diene synthase; D051228:Geranyltranstransferase; D020156:Salicylic Acid