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Planta Med 2009; 75(15): 1625-1633
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1185814
Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Secondary Metabolic Profiling and Artemisinin Biosynthesis of Two Genotypes of Artemisia annua

Huahong Wang1 [*] , Chenfei Ma2 [*] , Lanqing Ma1 , Zhigao Du1 , Hong Wang1 , Hechun Ye1 , Guofeng Li1 , Benye Liu1 , Guowang Xu2
  • 1Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
  • 2National Chromatographic R & A Center, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, P. R. China
Further Information

Publication History

received Dec. 18, 2008 revised March 7, 2009

accepted May 24, 2009

Publication Date:
22 June 2009 (online)

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Abstract

Artemisinin has been proven to be an effective antimalarial compound, especially for chloroquine-resistant and cerebral malaria. However, its biosynthesis pathway is still not completely clear. In order to get new clues about artemisinin biosynthesis, metabolic profiling by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) was applied to compare the secondary metabolites of two Artemisia annua L., genotype SP18 and 001, for some phenotypic and agricultural trait differences, including artemisinin content, existed between the two genotypes. Samples at 7 time points of three growth stages were studied. The data of profiles were subjected to multivariate analysis with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA). The results indicated that there were clear differences in terpenoids and artemisinin metabolism between different growth stages and genotypes. Twenty-one compounds, including artemisinin and its related precursors, were selected as the marker compounds of the PLS‐DA between the two genotypes. Among them, artemisinic acid, arteannuin B, borneol, β-farnesene and an unidentified sesquiterpenoid (peak 48) were abundant in 001, while camphor, methyl artemisinic acid and lanceol accumulated mainly in SP18. The relationship between these differences and artemisinin biosynthesis in the two genotypes of A. annua were discussed.

Key words

Artemisia annua L. - Compositae - atemisinin - genotype - GC‐MS - metabolic profile - terpenoids

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1 These authors contributed equally to this work.

Prof. Dr. Benye Liu

Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Environmental Molecular Physiology
Institute of Botany
The Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nanxincun 20

Haidian District

Beijing 100093

People's Republic ofChina

Phone: + 86 10 62 83 62 39

Fax: + 86 10 82 59 10 16

Email: benyel@ibcas.ac.cn

Prof. Dr. Guowang Xu

National Chromatographic R & A Center
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
The Chinese Academy of Sciences

Dalian 116023

People's Republic of China

Phone: + 86 4 11 84 37 95 59

Fax: + 86 4 11 84 37 95 59

Email: xugw@dicp.ac.cn

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