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Salicylic acid activates artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua L.

  • Physiology and Biochemistry
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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.

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Abbreviations

ADS:

Amorpha-4,11-diene synthase

CYP71AV1:

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenase

DW:

Dry weight

FDP:

Farnesyl diphosphate

FDS:

Farnesyl diphosphate synthase

FW:

Fresh weight

HMGR:

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase

MEP:

Methylerythritol phosphate

MVA:

Mevalonate

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

SA:

Salicylic acid

SAG:

SA-glucoside

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-SW-329) and the National High-tech R&D Program (863) of Ministry of Sciences and Technology, China (2007AA021501).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanxincun 20, Xiangshan, Haidian District, 100093, Beijing, China

    Gao-Bin Pu, Dong-Ming Ma, Jian-Lin Chen, Lan-Qing Ma, Hong Wang, Guo-Feng Li, He-Chun Ye & Ben-Ye Liu

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  1. Gao-Bin Pu
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  2. Dong-Ming Ma
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Correspondence to He-Chun Ye or Ben-Ye Liu.

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Communicated by M. Petersen.

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Pu, GB., Ma, DM., Chen, JL. et al. Salicylic acid activates artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annua L.. Plant Cell Rep 28, 1127–1135 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-009-0713-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-009-0713-3

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