利用异源生物生产青蒿素及其前体的研究进展

青蒿素是从中药青蒿中分离出来的一种倍半萜内酯类化合物,也是目前最有效的抗疟疾药物,对人类健康意义重大。该文通过对青蒿素生物合成途径及其相关酶的介绍,综述了利用异源生物通过组合生物合成途径生产青蒿素及其前体的最新研究进展。     

青蒿倍半萜合酶(环化酶)研究进展

青蒿素是从中药青蒿中分离得到的抗疟有效单体,是含有过氧基团的新型倍半萜内酯化合物,是目前世界上最有效的疟疾治疗药物。青蒿素的生物合成途径属于类异戊二烯代谢途径中的倍半萜类分支途径,倍半萜合酶是该途径的关键酶之一,目前已从青蒿中克隆了多个倍半萜合酶基因。综述了青蒿中已克隆的几种倍半萜合酶基因的研究进展。     

青蒿倍半萜合酶(环化酶)研究进展

青蒿素是从中药青蒿中分离得到的抗疟有效单体,是含有过氧基团的新型倍半萜内酯化合物,是目前世界上最有效的疟疾治疗药物。青蒿素的生物合成途径属于类异戊二烯代谢途径中的倍半萜类分支途径,倍半萜合酶是该途径的关键酶之一,目前已从青蒿中克隆了多个倍半萜合酶基因。综述了青蒿中已克隆的几种倍半萜合酶基因的研究进展。     

青蒿愈伤组织的诱导分化及青蒿素含量的变化

青蒿素是青蒿(Artemisia annua L.)中分离出来的一种新型的倍半萜内酯化合物,其化学结构完全不同于喹啉类药物,具有高效、速效和低毒的抗疟性能,对凶险型疟疾和抗氯喹株的患者疗效更为突出。青蒿虽然分布很广,但不同产地植株的青蒿素含量差异较大。青蒿素化学结构复杂,人工合成难度较大。通过组织培养方法阐明青蒿素形成途径及其与环境条件的关系对提高有效含量和指导人工合成都是很有意义的。本文报道诱导青蒿愈伤组织及分化再生成植株过程中青蒿素含量的变化。     

中药青蒿的生态生理及其综合利用

中药青蒿即黄花蒿(Artemisia annua L.)是抗疟药的原料,青蒿素是其有效抗疟成分。本文对青蒿的生物学特性、资源分布、生长栽培和生理生态进行了分析,指出了提高青蒿素含量的可能途径及其综合利用的前景。     

广西地形对青蒿中青蒿素含量的影响

针对广西青蒿种植中适生地选择的迫切要求,在对广西31个样地155株青蒿中青蒿素含量测定的基础上,分析了青蒿素含量地理变异,不同地形条件下青蒿素含量变异,海拔高度、坡度、坡向等地形因子对青蒿素含量的影响,不同区域内青蒿素含量变异分析,并应用GIS技术开展了基于地形因子的青蒿种植区划分析.得到如下结果和结论:①各样地间的青蒿素含量存在显著性差异(P=0.000<0.05);②海拔高度和坡度是影响青蒿素含量变化的主要地形因子,生长在海拔较高、坡度较大的丘陵、山地区域内的青蒿,青蒿素含量高于生长在海拔较低、坡度较小的平原区域内的(P=0.000<0.05);③桂西南地区内的青蒿素含量最高,桂东南平原区域内的青蒿素含量最低,二者与其他区域的青蒿素含量差异显著(P=0.000<0.05);④青蒿素含量在(0.76%～0.93%)的为最适宜区,主要包括桂东北和西南地区的阳朔、都安、大化、苹果、马山、武鸣、隆安、南宁和崇左等县市.青蒿素含量在(0.61%～0.76%)的为较适宜区域.青蒿素含量在(0.47%～0.61%)的为适宜区.青蒿素含量在(0 32%～0.47%)的为不适宜区,主要包括北海市、钦州市、贵港市、贺州市、梧州市和岑溪市的部分地区.⑤桂北地区地形复杂"小地形"、"小气候"特征明显,从小尺度范围内研究青蒿的生态适宜性,更能得到较显著的效果.     

青蒿不同组织采集时期和干燥方式对青蒿素含量影响研究

实验研究了不同采收时期、不同组织、不同干燥方式对青蒿中青蒿素含量的影响.结果表明,山西忻州7月初到8月中旬为青蒿生长盛期,这一段时间内阳光充足、空气湿度适宜,温度成为青蒿素累积的主要因素.最佳采收时期生长盛期至花期之前,在青篙植株及叶片中青蒿素含量均呈现茎、根、老叶、新叶依次递增的规律,晒干的样品青蒿素平均含量比烘干的样品含量高.     

生物技术在青蒿素合成中的应用

青蒿素是迄今为止治疗疟疾的有效成分,主要从青蒿(黄花蒿)中提取获得。然而黄花蒿中青蒿素的含量很低,难以满足临床用药需求。本文归纳并总结了近年来用于提高青蒿素产量的生物技术方法,包括提高野生青蒿中青蒿素产量、使用转基因手段提高青蒿素产量以及青蒿素在其他生物中合成等方面的研究进展,为青蒿素合成相关研究提供理论依据,开拓研究思路。     

青蒿发根生长及青蒿素生物合成动态的研究

从747条发根农杆菌ATCC15834转化的青蒿株系025发根中,筛选出7个生长较快的发根系,这7个系在生长速度和青蒿素含量上均有显著差异,其中发根系HR9青蒿素产率最高,达到每月3325mg/L。青蒿发根的生长量和青蒿素含量极显著高于未转化根和愈伤组织。青蒿发根在分批培养中没有明显的迟滞期,接种后第7天进入指数生长期,第11天生长最快,第20天进入稳定期。青蒿发根中青蒿素含量呈明显的“与生长相关”特性,在指数生长期,青蒿素含量缓慢下降,生长速度减缓后,青蒿素含量上升,发根生长停止后,继续延长培养时间,青蒿素含量也不再提高。在分批培养中,青蒿发根适宜的培养时间为21d。     

青蒿素及其衍生物抗肿瘤的研究进展

青蒿素类药物是治疗疟疾的主要药物,其衍生物有青蒿琥酯、蒿甲醚和二氢青蒿素等.近年来研究发现,青蒿素及其衍生物具有明显的抗肿瘤作用.研究表明:青蒿素及其衍生物可以抑制或杀伤肿瘤细胞;抑制肿瘤细胞增殖与诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡;抑制血管生成;选择性杀伤肿瘤细胞;逆转肿瘤细胞的多重耐药;具有放射增敏效应.因青蒿素及其衍生物安全低毒,有望成为新型的广泛、高效、低毒的抗癌药物.     

温度对青蒿毛状根生长和青蒿素生物合成的影响

本实验研究了不同温度(15℃～35℃)对青蒿毛状根生长和青蒿素生物合成的影响,发现25℃有利于毛状根生长,30℃促进了青蒿素生物合成。通过温度改变的二步培养技术(培养前20d温度控制在25℃,后10d温度提高到30℃),青蒿素的产量得到明显提高,高于在恒温培养时(25℃或30℃)的结果。     

Artemisinin production in Artemisia annua hairy root cultures with improved growth by altering the nitrogen source in the medium

Murashige & Skoog medium was modified for enhancing artemisinin production in Artemisia annua hairy root cultures by altering the ratio of NO ₃ ^– /NH ₄ ⁺ and the total amount of initial nitrogen. Increasing ammonium to 60 mM decreased both growth and artemisinin accumulation in hairy root cultures. With NO ₃ ^– /NH ₄ ⁺ at 5:1 (w/w), the optimum concentration of total initial nitrogen for artemisinin production was 20 mM. After 24 days of cultivation with 16.7 mM nitrate and 3.3 mM ammonium, the maximum artemisinin production of hairy roots was about 14 mg l^–1, a 57% increase over that in the standard MS medium.     

Production of artemisinin by genetically-modified microbes

Artemisinin, an endoperoxidized sesquiterpene originally extracted from the medicinal plant Artemisia annua L., is a potent malaria-killing agent. Due to the urgent demand and short supply of this new antimalarial drug, engineering enhanced production of artemisinin by genetically-modified or transgenic microbes is currently being explored. Cloning and expression of the artemisinin biosynthetic genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli have led to large-scale microbial production of the artemisinin precursors such as amorpha-4,11-diene and artemisinic acid. Although reconstruction of the complete biosynthetic pathway toward artemisinin in transgenic yeast and bacteria has not been achieved, artemisinic acid available from these transgenic microbes facilitates the subsequent partial synthesis of artemisinin by either chemical or biotransformational process, thereby providing an attractive strategy alternative to the direct extraction of artemisinin from A.annua L. In this review, we update the current trends and summarize the future prospects on genetic engineering of the microorganisms capable of accumulating artemisinin precursors through heterologous and functional expression of the artemisinin biosynthetic genes.     

黄花蒿培养细胞中青蒿素合成代谢的体外调节

黄花蒿培养细胞通过两步培养积累青蒿素．第１步在含有０．２～０．４ｍｇ／Ｌ６－苄基氨基嘌呤（６－ＢＡ）和３～４ｍｇ／Ｌ吲哚乙酸（ＩＡＡ）的Ｎ６培养基中进行细胞的增殖培养,第２步将培养好的细胞转入含０．２～０．４ｍｇ／Ｌ６－ＢＡ和０．２～０．４ｍｇ／ＬＩＡＡ的改良Ｎ６培养基中进行青蒿素的合成．青蒿素的合成量为１９０μｇ／ｇ干细胞左右．当在第２步培养中加入青蒿素合成前体青蒿酸,青蒿素合成量比仅靠激素诱导提高了３倍多．青蒿素的合成途径是植物固醇合成途径的分支途径,当在青蒿素合成过程即第２步培养中加入固醇生物合成抑制剂双氯苯咪唑和氯化氯胆碱处理,可使代谢向合成青蒿素的方向移动,青蒿素合成量明显提高．经２００ｍｇ／Ｌ氯化氯胆碱处理２ｄ,黄花蒿细胞合成青蒿素量为３７２μｇ／ｇ干细胞;经２０ｍｇ／Ｌ双氯苯咪唑处理４ｄ,黄花蒿细胞合成青蒿素量为１５４０μｇ／ｇ干细胞,比靠激素诱导提高了８倍多,与诱导脱分化细胞的黄花蒿叶中所含的青蒿素（３０００μｇ／ｇ干细胞）处于同一个数量级．以上结果表明：在通过植物激素调节可以合成青蒿素的黄花蒿培养细胞中,缺乏青蒿素合成前体是青蒿素合成量低的重要原因．因此,在青蒿素合成的过程中通过体外调节,     

High-Level Production of Amorpha-4,11-Diene,a Precursor of the Antimalarial Agent Artemisinin,in Escherichia coli

Background

Artemisinin derivatives are the key active ingredients in Artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), the most effective therapies available for treatment of malaria. Because the raw material is extracted from plants with long growing seasons, artemisinin is often in short supply, and fermentation would be an attractive alternative production method to supplement the plant source. Previous work showed that high levels of amorpha-4,11-diene, an artemisinin precursor, can be made in Escherichia coli using a heterologous mevalonate pathway derived from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), though the reconstructed mevalonate pathway was limited at a particular enzymatic step.

Methodology/ Principal Findings

By combining improvements in the heterologous mevalonate pathway with a superior fermentation process, commercially relevant titers were achieved in fed-batch fermentations. Yeast genes for HMG-CoA synthase and HMG-CoA reductase (the second and third enzymes in the pathway) were replaced with equivalent genes from Staphylococcus aureus, more than doubling production. Amorpha-4,11-diene titers were further increased by optimizing nitrogen delivery in the fermentation process. Successful cultivation of the improved strain under carbon and nitrogen restriction consistently yielded 90 g/L dry cell weight and an average titer of 27.4 g/L amorpha-4,11-diene.

Conclusions/ Significance

Production of >25 g/L amorpha-4,11-diene by fermentation followed by chemical conversion to artemisinin may allow for development of a process to provide an alternative source of artemisinin to be incorporated into ACTs.     

Distribution of artemisinin and bioactive flavonoids from Artemisia annua L. during plant growth

Artemisia annua L. (Qinghao, Asteraceae) is a promising and potent antimalarial herbal drug. Its activity has been ascribed to the content of artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is very effective against drug-resistant Plasmodium. Many studies have pointed out that the presence of polymethoxyflavonoids in the phytocomplex can enhance the bioavailability or the activity of artemisinin. In this study the production of both artemisinin and flavonoids by plants of an aromatic ecotype of A. annua L. was characterized in different aerial parts of the plants at different developmental stages. The qualitative profile of the investigated plant parts was similar; in addition to artemisinin, four flavonoids were identified: chrysoplenetin, casticin, eupatin and artemetin. The highest contents of both flavonoids and artemisinin were found at the full blooming stage. At this developmental stage, artemisinin was higher in leaves than in inflorescences, while the total flavonoid levels were similar in both plant organs.     

Enhancement of artemisinin content and biomass in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Artemisia annua</Emphasis> by exogenous GA<Subscript>3</Subscript> treatment

Artemisinin is a promising and potent antimalarial drug naturally produced by the plant Artemisia annua L. but in very low yield. Its artemisinin content is known to be greatly affected by both genotype and environmental factors. In this study, the production of artemisinin and leaf biomass in Artemisia annua L. was significantly increased by exogenous GA₃ treatment. The effect of GA₃ application on expression of proposed key enzymes involved in artemisinin yield was examined in both wild type (007) and FPS-overexpression (253-2) lines of A. annua. In the wild type (007) at 6 h post GA₃ application there was an abrupt rise in FPS, ADS and CYP71AV1 expression and at 24 h a temporary and significant peak in artemisinin (1.45-fold higher than the control). After GA₃ application in line 253-2, there was a dramatic rise in expression of FPS at 3 h, CYP71AV1 at 9 h and ADS at 72 h and accumulation of artemisinin after 7 days, which was a delay when compared with the wild type plant. Thus, increased artemisinin content from exogenous GA₃ treatment was associated with increased expression of key enzymes in the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway. Interestingly, exogenous GA₃ continuously enhanced artemisinin content from the vegetative stage to flower initiation in both plant lines and gave significantly higher leaf biomass than in control plants. Consequently, the artemisinin yield in GA₃-treated plants was much higher than in control plants. Although the maximum artemisinin content was found at the full blooming stage [2.1% dry weight (DW) in 007 and 2.4% DW in 253-2], the highest artemisinin yield in GA₃-treated plants was obtained during the flower initiation stage (2.4 mg/plant in 007 and 2.3 mg/plant in 235-2). This was 26.3 and 27.8% higher, respectively, than in non-treated plants 007 and 253-2. This study showed that exogenous GA₃ treatment enhanced artemisinin production in pot experiments and should be suitable for field application.     

Artemisinin production in Artemisia annua: studies in planta and results of a novel delivery method for treating malaria and other neglected diseases

Artemisia annua L. produces the sesquiterpene lactone, artemisinin, a potent antimalarial drug that is also effective in treating other parasitic diseases, some viral infections and various neoplasms. Artemisinin is also an allelopathic herbicide that can inhibit the growth of other plants. Unfortunately, the compound is in short supply and thus, studies on its production in the plant are of interest as are low cost methods for drug delivery. Here we review our recent studies on artemisinin production in A. annua during development of the plant as it moves from the vegetative to reproductive stage (flower budding and full flower formation), in response to sugars, and in concert with the production of the ROS, hydrogen peroxide. We also provide new data from animal experiments that measured the potential of using the dried plant directly as a therapeutic. Together these results provide a synopsis of a more global view of regulation of artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua than previously available. We further suggest an alternative low cost method of drug delivery to treat malaria and other neglected tropical diseases.