Biotechnology of flavonoids and other phenylpropanoid‐derived natural products. Part II: Reconstruction of multienzyme pathways in plants and microbes

Abstract

Plant natural products derived from phenylalanine and the phenylpropanoid pathways are impressive in their chemical diversity and are the result of plant evolution, which has selected for the acquisition of large repertoires of pigments, structural and defensive compounds, all derived from a phenylpropanoid backbone via the plant-specific phenylpropanoid pathway. These compounds are important in plant growth, development and responses to environmental stresses and thus can have large impacts on agricultural productivity. While plant-based medicines containing phenylpropanoid-derived active components have long been used by humans, the benefits of specific flavonoids and other phenylpropanoid-derived compounds to human health and their potential for long-term health benefits have only been recognized more recently. In this part of the review, we discuss in detail the recent strategies and achievements used in the reconstruction of multienzyme pathways in plants and microbes in an effort to be able to attain higher amounts of the desired flavonoids and stilbenoids exploiting their beneficial properties as analyzed extensively in Part I of this review.

Combinatorial Biosynthesis of Non-bacterial and Unnatural Flavonoids, Stilbenoids and Curcuminoids by Microorganisms

“…These efforts were summarized by Julsing et al [3] and Ververidis et al [4]. On the other hand, microorganisms have been used as a host only to check the enzyme properties of certain gene products.…”

“…Because of the rapid development in molecular biological techniques and the explosive accumulation of the genome information from a variety of organisms [3,4], combinatorial biosynthesis now has a wider definition. Bioinformatic prediction of the catalytic property of a single gene product and novel chemical entities directed by a gene cluster in the huge genome databases facilitates combining metabolic pathways to generate artificially Production of unnatural stilbenes 6-3.…”

Visual Tracking of Plant Virus Infection and Movement Using a Reporter MYB Transcription Factor That Activates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis

“…The biosynthesis of anthocyanins has been extensively studied, and it is known to be activated at the transcriptional level by a triad of transcription factors, namely, an R2R3 MYB, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH), and a WD40 repeat protein, binding cooperatively to the promoter regions of the genes coding for the different enzymes in the pathway (Hichri et al, 2011). The overexpression of at least some of the components of the triad, usually an R2R3 MYB and a bHLH, has been used to activate anthocyanin biosynthesis (Ververidis et al, 2007). In an outstanding example, anthocyanin accumulation was induced to impressive levels in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruits by overexpression of the garden snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) transcription factors Rosea1 (Ros1) and Delila, an R2R3 MYB, and a bHLH, respectively Luo et al, 2008).…”

Flavonoids

“…[3] Subgroups: Over 5000 naturally occurring flavonoids have been characterized from various plants. They have been classified according to their chemical structure, and are usually subdivided into the following subgroups (for further reading see [4] ) plants". [6] Flavonols, the original bioflavonoids such as quercetin, are also found ubiquitously, but in lesser quantities.…”