Molecular authentication of 21 Korean artemisia species (Compositae) by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism based on trnL-F region of chloroplast DNA.

The present study describes the molecular authentication of 21 Korean Artemisia species using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism) technique based on the trnL-F sequences in chloroplast DNA. Five different banding patterns were generated from 21 Artemisia species using HinfI restriction enzyme. A. apiacea, A. keiskeana and A. sieversiana have specific banding patterns. The remaining 18 species had shared two banding patterns. Phylogenetic analysis based on trnL-F sequence variations showed results similar to PCR-RFLP banding patterns. It suggested that the trnL-F region does not have sufficient variations to identify the 21 Artemisia species. However, the specific banding patterns for A. apiacea, A. keiskeana and A. sieversiana can be utilized as a DNA marker for discriminating them from other Artemisia species. These markers will be also useful for developing A. apiacea, A. keiskeana and A. sieversiana into new medicine and food based on their efficacy.