terpenoid-biosynthesis
Terpenoid biosynthesis refers to the metabolic pathways plants use to produce terpenoids, the largest class of plant secondary metabolites, derived from the five-carbon building block isoprene. These compounds serve critical roles in plant defense, pollinator attraction, hormonal signaling, and stress responses. Understanding how plants synthesize terpenoids has broad implications for agriculture, medicine, and the development of plant-derived pharmaceuticals and industrial compounds.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-02-20
Scientists are reviewing how to use engineered microbes — instead of harvesting plants or using harsh chemicals — to produce the natural scent and flavor compounds (terpenoids) found in herbs, flowers, and fruits. Advances in synthetic biology are making this greener and more scalable.
Conventional plant extraction and chemical synthesis of terpenoids face fundamental problems with stereoselectivity (getting the molecule's exact shape right) and environmental sustainability, driving interest in biosynthetic alternatives.
Synthetic biology strategies — including enzyme modification, dynamic pathway regulation, and cellular compartmentalization — have been identified as key tools to overcome production bottlenecks in microbial terpenoid factories.
Selecting compatible microbial host strains and engineering tolerance to terpenoid toxicity are highlighted as critical, often overlooked factors for achieving viable commercial-scale biosynthesis.