title: Biosynthesis and localization of parthenolide in glandular trichomes of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L. Schulz Bip.).
abstract: Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) is a perennial medicinal herb and is a rich source of sesquiterpene lactones. Parthenolide is the main sesquiterpene lactone in feverfew and has attracted attention because of its medicinal potential for treatment of migraine and cancer. In the present work the parthenolide content in different tissues and developmental stages of feverfew was analyzed to study the timing and localization of parthenolide biosynthesis. The strongest accumulating tissue was subsequently used to isolate sesquiterpene synthases with the goal to isolate the gene encoding the first dedicated step in parthenolide biosynthesis. This led to the isolation and charachterization of a germacrene A synthase (TpGAS) and an (E)-β-caryophyllene synthase (TpCarS). Transcript level patterns of both sesquiterpene synthases were analyzed in different tissues and glandular trichomes. Although TpGAS was expressed in all aerial tissues, the highest expression was observed in tissues that contain high concentrations of parthenolide and in flowers the highest expression was observed in the biosynthetically most active stages of flower development. The high expression of TpGAS in glandular trichomes which also contain the highest concentration of parthenolide, suggests that glandular trichomes are the secretory tissues where parthenolide biosynthesis and accumulation occur.
authors.affiliation: Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-336, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majdi
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karimzadeh
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Malboobi
authors.forename: Jules
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beekwilder
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cankar
authors.forename: Ric de
authors.initials: Rd
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: Sladjana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todorović
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simonović
authors.forename: Harro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bouwmeester
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics; D005638:Fruit / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010802:Phylogeny; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000235:genetics; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020903:Tanacetum parthenium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018749:RNA, Plant; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C002669:parthenolide; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases