Study on Artemisia annua and Arabidopsis thaliana trichome genes in response to methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid elicitors

Artemisinin is a sesquiterpene lacton produced by glandular secretary trichome of Artemisia annua L. plant and is used against some disease including malaria and cancer. In this study effects of exogenous applications of MeJA and SA on known trichome gene expressions in Artemisia annua were investigated with Real time PCR assays. For more information about trichome gene responses to these elicitors, microarray data of Arabidopsis trichome genes in response to them in EBI database were studied. It was observed that MeJA affect trichomes by positive effect on expression of genes involved in the formation, growth, size and orientation of trichome, and SA has negative influence on them. Furthermore, Artemisia TTG1 gene was introduced as an appropriate candidate for further studies for use in trichome engineering in order to increase in artemisinin production.