Plants are leading chemists that collectively synthesize a vast number of low molecular weight complex compounds called “phytochemicals” or “phytonutrients” which are the valuable source of bioactive compounds that have numerous health benefits and pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Moreover, they have been shown to possess diverse biological activities, for instance, antiviral, antiproliferative, antioxidant, larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, analgesic, antifungal, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory as well as central nervous system depressant. Phytochemicals are classified into two separate classes; primary metabolites that are involved directly in growth and basic cell metabolism, and specialized (i.e. secondary) metabolites considered as end products of primary metabolism that involved in metabolic activities, defense against herbivores, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, plant virus infections and response to environmental stresses. Plants are rich source of bioactive phytochemicals such as, flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamins, carotenoids, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, glycosides, functional lipids, folates, isothiocyanates, and anthocyanins. In addition, several agricultural plants have been recognized as a promising biomass for bio-economy development, with a number of advantages over conventional crops. Over the past decades the use of phytochemicals derived from plants have positive beneficial effects on human health that play an important role in prevention of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity. However, a significant number of phytochemicals have been identified form the plants but, the biological functions of many phytochemicals remain unknown, and the suggested functions lack underlying molecular mechanism. Moreover, the desired bioactive phytochemicals are biosynthesized and accumulated in plants at very low levels in tissue-specific, organ-specific, and developmentally specific ways, involving highly complex and sophisticated biosynthetic pathways, that limits the commercialization of pharmaceutical compounds. In addition, the total chemical synthesis of complex metabolite is a time consuming and expensive process. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of plant metabolites is needed to provide new insight into the functional as well as the evolutionary diversity of phytochemical that might be valuable to improve the production in the native producer as well as heterologous hosts. Though, the elicitors are often used to trigger the biosynthetic pathways for enhance the production of target bioactive metabolites. However, the modification of endogenous pathways holds great promise to regulate the biosynthesis of pharmaceutically important phytochemicals using plant metabolic engineering strategies.
This collection aims to bring together a set of cutting-edge research articles that shows some of the most significant advances in discoveries of phytochemicals from plants. We invite front-line scientists to contribute original research papers, letters, reviews and short communications related to the biochemistry, metabolic engineering, gene editing, plant specialized metabolites, analytical methods, defense responses, as well as metabolic pathways for biosynthesis of phytochemicals in plants.
Plants are leading chemists that collectively synthesize a vast number of low molecular weight complex compounds called “phytochemicals” or “phytonutrients” which are the valuable source of bioactive compounds that have numerous health benefits and pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Moreover, they have been shown to possess diverse biological activities, for instance, antiviral, antiproliferative, antioxidant, larvicidal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, analgesic, antifungal, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory as well as central nervous system depressant. Phytochemicals are classified into two separate classes; primary metabolites that are involved directly in growth and basic cell metabolism, and specialized (i.e. secondary) metabolites considered as end products of primary metabolism that involved in metabolic activities, defense against herbivores, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, plant virus infections and response to environmental stresses. Plants are rich source of bioactive phytochemicals such as, flavonoids, phenolic acids, vitamins, carotenoids, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols, glycosides, functional lipids, folates, isothiocyanates, and anthocyanins. In addition, several agricultural plants have been recognized as a promising biomass for bio-economy development, with a number of advantages over conventional crops. Over the past decades the use of phytochemicals derived from plants have positive beneficial effects on human health that play an important role in prevention of many chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity. However, a significant number of phytochemicals have been identified form the plants but, the biological functions of many phytochemicals remain unknown, and the suggested functions lack underlying molecular mechanism. Moreover, the desired bioactive phytochemicals are biosynthesized and accumulated in plants at very low levels in tissue-specific, organ-specific, and developmentally specific ways, involving highly complex and sophisticated biosynthetic pathways, that limits the commercialization of pharmaceutical compounds. In addition, the total chemical synthesis of complex metabolite is a time consuming and expensive process. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of plant metabolites is needed to provide new insight into the functional as well as the evolutionary diversity of phytochemical that might be valuable to improve the production in the native producer as well as heterologous hosts. Though, the elicitors are often used to trigger the biosynthetic pathways for enhance the production of target bioactive metabolites. However, the modification of endogenous pathways holds great promise to regulate the biosynthesis of pharmaceutically important phytochemicals using plant metabolic engineering strategies.
This collection aims to bring together a set of cutting-edge research articles that shows some of the most significant advances in discoveries of phytochemicals from plants. We invite front-line scientists to contribute original research papers, letters, reviews and short communications related to the biochemistry, metabolic engineering, gene editing, plant specialized metabolites, analytical methods, defense responses, as well as metabolic pathways for biosynthesis of phytochemicals in plants.