Qi, Yan. / Thesis submitted in: December 2008. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-79). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.III / ABSTRACT --- p.IV / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VII / LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.XI / Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- the Plant of Artemisia annua L --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- The disease of malaria --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- The life cycle of Plasmodium parasites --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- The Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) for the treatment of malaria --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Artemisinin --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- The content and distribution of artemisinin --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- The mechanism of artemisinin action --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.2.1 --- The proposed non-specific mechanisms of action --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.2.2 --- The proposed parasite-specific mechanisms of action --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- The biosynthesis of artemisnin in vivo --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- The biosynthesis of artemisinin in vitro --- p.16 / Chapter 1.4 --- Trichomes --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Non-glandular trichomes --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Glandular trichome --- p.20 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Trichomes of Artemisia annua L --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5 --- DNA Sequencing Methods --- p.24 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- The basic principle of pyrosequencing --- p.25 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- 454 pyrosequencing and its application --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER 2. --- MATERIALS AND METHODS --- p.32 / Chapter 2.1 --- Chemicals --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2 --- Plant materials --- p.32 / Chapter 2.3 --- Preparation of the cDNA sample for 454 sequencing --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Scanning electron microscopy --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Isolation of glandular trichomes --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- cDNA synthesis and normalization --- p.34 / Chapter 2.4 --- 454-EST SEQUENCING AND PROCESSING --- p.36 / Chapter 2.5 --- Analysis of 454 sequencing data --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6 --- Establishment of regeneration system of A. annua L --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Shoots induction from leaf discs --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- The sensitivity of the explants to Kanamycin --- p.38 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Rooting of the regenerated seedlings --- p.38 / Chapter CHAPTER 3. --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1 --- Glandular trichome isolation and cDNA preparation --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- The distribution of glandular trichomes on A. annua --- p.40 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- The isolation of glandular trichomes --- p.42 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- The preparation of ds cDNA for 454 sequencing --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2 --- Pre-process of 454 pyrosequencing data --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3 --- Functional annotation of the 454-EST data --- p.47 / Chapter 3.4 --- Comparison of two sequencing runs --- p.49 / Chapter 3.5 --- Analysis of the 454 ESTs involved in secondary metabolisms --- p.50 / Chapter 3.6 --- Selection of the candidate genes --- p.55 / Chapter 3.7 --- Establishment of regeneration system of A. annua L --- p.57 / Chapter 3.7.1 --- Shoots induction from leaf discs --- p.57 / Chapter 3.7.2 --- Roots induction from shoots --- p.57 / Chapter 3.7.3 --- Sensitivity of A. annua to Kan --- p.59 / Chapter CHAPTER 4. --- CONCLUSION --- p.61 / REFERENCES --- p.63