[Genetic modification of secondary metabolite biosynthesis in higher plants: a review]

Abstract

Plants provide an immense reservoir of natural secondary metabolites. Secondary metabolites and those involved enzymes accumulate in various compartments in specific plant tissues. The biosynthesis of diverse groups of secondary metabolites is often complicated, tightly controlled via network interconnections, metabolite levels, metabolite channeling and multi-enzyme complexes, and so on. Secondary metabolite profiles could be genetically altered by two strategies, i.e. single gene modification and multiple gene modification; which thus has opened a feasible and prospective platform for secondary chemicals production in plant.