title: Cold stress improves the production of artemisinin depending on the increase in endogenous jasmonate.
abstract: Previous publications reported that the artemisinin level was increased in Artemisia annua following a night-frost period. However, the molecular mechanism was not clear. In this study, we found that exogenous jasmonate (JA) effectively enhanced the freezing tolerance of A. annua. The JA biosynthetic genes (LOX1, LOX2, allene oxide cyclase [AOC], and jasmonate resistant 1 [JAR1]) were induced by cold stress, leading to an increase in endogenous JA in cold-treated A. annua. Increased endogenous JA enhanced the expression of three JA-responsive transcription factors, ethylene response factor 1, ethylene response factor 2, and octadecanoid-responsive AP2/ERF, all of which were reported to transcriptionally activate the expression of artemisinin biosynthetic genes, such as amorpha-4,11-diene synthase (ADS), CYP71AV1, DBR2, and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1). Furthermore, the expression levels of the four artemisinin biosynthetic genes were also significantly increased under cold stress. Consequently, the levels of artemisinin and related secondary metabolites, such as dihydroartemisinic acid, artemisinin B, and artemisinic acid, were increased in A. annua under cold stress. Our study points to a molecular mechanism in which the production of artemisinin is regulated by cold stress in A. annua.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology (Ministry of Education) College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.|Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.|School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wanhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Huanyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yupei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shunqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: TAAHC-SWU Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, Agricultural and Animal Husbandry College, Tibet University, Nyingchi of Tibe, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaozhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology (Ministry of Education) College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guoping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-Environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), SWU-TAAHC Medicinal Plant Joint R&D Centre, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D031172:Artemisia annua / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000378:metabolism*; D058639:Cold-Shock Response / Q000502:physiology*; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000502:physiology; D007783:Lactones / Q000378:metabolism*; D054883:Oxylipins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; D003517:Cyclopentanes; D007783:Lactones; D054883:Oxylipins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C011006:jasmonic acid; C075875:artemisin
keywords: Artemisia annua L.; artemisinin biosynthesis; cold stress; endogenous jasmonate