A transcription factor of SHI family AaSHI1 activates artemisinin biosynthesis genes in Artemisia annua

Abstract Background Transcription factors (TFs) of plant-specific SHORT INTERNODES (SHI) family play a significant role in regulating development and metabolism in plants. In Artemisia annua, various TFs from different families have been discovered to regulate the accumulation of artemisinin. However, specific members of the SHI family in A. annua (AaSHIs) have not been identified to regulate the biosynthesis of artemisinin. Results We found five AaSHI genes (AaSHI1 to AaSHI5) in the A. annua genome. The expression levels of AaSHI1, AaSHI2, AaSHI3 and AaSHI4 genes were higher in trichomes and young leaves, also induced by light and decreased when the plants were subjected to dark treatment. The expression pattern of these four AaSHI genes was consistent with the expression pattern of four structural genes of artemisinin biosynthesis and their specific regulatory factors. Dual-luciferase reporter assays, yeast one-hybrid assays, and transient transformation in A. annua provided the evidence that AaSHI1 could directly bind to the promoters of structural genes AaADS and AaCYP71AV1, and positively regulate their expressions. This study has presented candidate genes, with AaSHI1 in particular, that can be considered for the metabolic engineering of artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua. Conclusions Overall, a genome-wide analysis of the AaSHI TF family of A. annua was conducted. Five AaSHIs were identified in A. annua genome. Among the identified AaSHIs, AaSHI1 was found to be localized to the nucleus and activate the expression of structural genes of artemisinin biosynthesis including AaADS and AaCYP71AV1. These results indicated that AaSHI1 had positive roles in modulating artemisinin biosynthesis, providing candidate genes for obtaining high-quality new A. annua germplasms.