Being ubiquitously present in plants,
microalgae, and cyanobacteria
and as the major constituents of thylakoid membranes, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol
(MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) make up approximately
52 and 26%, respectively, of chloroplast lipids. Thylakoid membranes
harbor the photosynthetic complexes and numerous essential biochemical
pathways where MGDG and DGDG play a central role in facilitating photosynthesis
light reaction, maintaining chloroplast morphology, and responding
to abiotic stresses. Furthermore, these galactolipids are also bioactive
compounds with antitumor, antimicrobial, antiviral, immunosuppressive,
and anti-inflammatory activities and important nutritional value.
These characteristics are strictly dependent upon their fatty acyl
chain length, olefinic nature, and stereoconfiguration. However, their
application potentials are practically untapped, largely as a result
of the fact that their availability in large quantity and high purity
(structured galactolipids) is challenging. In addition to laborious
extraction from natural sources, in vitro assembling
of these molecules could be a promising alternative. Thus, this review
updates the latest advances in elucidating biosynthesis paths of MGDG
and DGDG and related enzyme systems, which present invaluable inspiration
to design approaches for a retrosynthesis of galactolipids. More critically,
this work summarizes recent developments in the biological and enzymatic
syntheses of galactolipids, especially the strategic scenarios for
the construction of in vitro enzymatic and/or chemoenzymatic
synthesis routes. Protein engineering of enzymes involved in the synthesis
of MGDG and DGDG to improve their properties is highlighted, and the
applications of galactolipids in foods and medicine are also discussed.