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Parthenolide accumulation and expression of genes related to parthenolide biosynthesis affected by exogenous application of methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid in Tanacetum parthenium

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Abstract

Key message

Up-regulation of germacrene A synthase and down-regulation of parthenolide hydroxylase genes play key role in parthenolide accumulation of feverfew plants treated with methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid.

Abstract

Parthenolide is an important sesquiterpene lactone due to its anti-migraine and anti-cancer properties. Parthenolide amount was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography after foliar application of methyl jasmonate (100 µM) or salicylic acid (1.0 mM) on feverfew leaves in time course experiment (3–96 h). Results indicate that exogenous application of methyl jasmonate or salicylic acid activated parthenolide biosynthesis. Parthenolide content reached its highest amount at 24 h after methyl jasmonate or salicylic acid treatments, which were 3.1- and 1.96-fold higher than control plants, respectively. Parthenolide transiently increased due to methyl jasmonate or salicylic acid treatments until 24 h, but did not show significant difference compared with control plants at 48 and 96 h time points in both treatments. Also, the transcript levels of early pathway (upstream) genes of terpene biosynthesis including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase and hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase and the biosynthetic genes of parthenolide including germacrene A synthase, germacrene A oxidase, costunolide synthase and parthenolide synthase were increased by methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid treatments, but with different intensity. The transcriptional levels of these genes were higher in methyl jasmonate-treated plants than salicylic acid-treated plants. Parthenolide content measurements along with expression pattern analysis of the aforementioned genes and parthenolide hydroxylase as side branch gene of parthenolide suggest that the expression patterns of early pathway genes were not directly consistent with parthenolide accumulation pattern; hence, parthenolide accumulation is probably further modulated by the expression of its biosynthetic genes, especially germacrene A synthase and also its side branch gene, parthenolide hydroxylase.

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Abbreviations

MEP:

Methyl erythritol phosphate

MVA:

Mevalonic acid

IDP:

Isopentenyl diphosphate

DMADP:

Dimethylallyl diphosphate

FDP:

Farnesyl diphosphate

RGE:

Relative gene expression

HMGR :

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase

GAS :

Germacrene A synthase

DXR :

1-Deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase

HDR :

Hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase

GAO :

Germacrene A oxidase

COS :

Costunolide synthase

PTS :

Parthenolide synthase

PTH :

Parthenolide hydroxylase

MJ:

Methyl jasmonate

SA:

Salicylic acid

DW:

Dry weight

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Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

    Mohammad Majdi & Asad Maroufi

  2. Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

    Mohammad Reza Abdollahi

  3. Research Center for Medicinal Plant Breeding and Development, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

    Mohammad Majdi

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  1. Mohammad Majdi
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Correspondence to Mohammad Majdi.

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Majdi, M., Abdollahi, M.R. & Maroufi, A. Parthenolide accumulation and expression of genes related to parthenolide biosynthesis affected by exogenous application of methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid in Tanacetum parthenium . Plant Cell Rep 34, 1909–1918 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-015-1837-2

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