RNA sequencing in Artemisia annua L explored the genetic and metabolic responses to hardly soluble aluminum phosphate treatment.

Artemisia annua L. is a medicinal plant valued for its ability to produce artemisinin, a molecule used to treat malaria. Plant nutrients, especially phosphorus (P), can potentially influence plant biomass and secondary metabolite production. Our work aimed to explore the genetic and metabolic response of A. annua to hardly soluble aluminum phosphate (AlPO, AlP), using soluble monopotassium phosphate (KHPO, KP) as a control. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) was used to analyze artemisinin. RNA sequencing, gene ontology (GO), and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were applied to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under poor P conditions. Results showed a significant reduction in plant growth parameters, such as plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf areas, and total biomass of A. annua. Conversely, LC-MS analysis revealed a significant increase in artemisinin concentration under the AlP compared to the KP. Transcriptome analysis revealed 762 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the AlP and the KP. GH3, SAUR, CRE1, and PYL, all involved in plant hormone signal transduction, showed differential expression. Furthermore, despite the downregulation of HMGR in the artemisinin biosynthesis pathway, the majority of genes (ACAT, FPS, CYP71AV1, and ALDH1) were upregulated, resulting in increased artemisinin accumulation in the AlP. In addition, 12 transcription factors, including GATA and MYB, were upregulated in response to AlP, confirming their importance in regulating artemisinin biosynthesis. Overall, our findings could contribute to a better understanding the parallel transcriptional regulation of plant hormone transduction and artemisinin biosynthesis in A. annua L. in response to hardly soluble phosphorus fertilizer.