title: Sequence characterized amplified region marker as a tool for selection of high-artemisinin containing species of Artemisia.
abstract: Malaria is currently one of the most important causes of mortality in developing countries. High resistance to available antimalarial drugs has been reported frequently, thus it is crucial to focus on the discovery of new antimalarial drugs. Artemisinin, an effective antimalarial medication, is isolated from various Artemisia species. To identify the Artemisia species producing high quantity of artemisinin, eight species of Artemisia were screened with the genetic sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker for higher quantity of artemisinin. The DNA band corresponding to SCAR marker was cloned into pGEM®-T Easy vector and sequenced. The content of artemisinin in tested species was also measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. The primers designed for high-artemisinin SCAR marker could amplify a specific band of approximately 1000 bp which was present in two Artemisia annua and Artemisia absinthium species. These SCAR marker sequences for two selected species were submitted into the GenBank databases under KC337116 and KC465952 accession numbers. HPLC analysis indicated that two selected Artemisia species, genetically recognized as high-artemisinin yielding plants, had higher artemisinin content in comparison to other examined species. Therefore, in this study, we propose developed SCAR marker as a complementary tool for confidently detection of high-artemisinin content in Artemisia species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Matin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asghari
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Naghavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Abdol Hadi
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hosseinzadeh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biotechnology, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ranjbar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poorebrahim
keywords: Artemisia absinthium; Artemisia annua; Artemisinin; SCAR markers