About this Research Topic

Background

Phenylpropanoid metabolism is a cardinal secondary metabolic pathway in land plants, capable of producing nearly 10,000 metabolites, such as lignin, flavonoids, chlorogenic acids, phenolic glycosides, etc. The phenylpropanoid pathway stands out as a crucial area of interest for researchers due to its manifold functions in plant development, structural support, responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, and interactions with ecological factors. In recent years, remarkable advancements in genetics, biochemistry, and omics technologies have led to significant discoveries on the regulatory mechanisms of genes encoding enzymes, transporters, and regulatory factors involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism. These breakthroughs offer pivotal insights into the genetic and biochemical mechanisms that govern phenylpropanoid metabolism, thus opening new avenues for modulating this pathway for plant improvement and molecular breeding.

This Research Topic aims to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of key biological processes in phenylpropanoid metabolism using a range of approaches, including genetics, biochemistry, transgenic techniques, and omics. We welcome fundamental research on the identification of genes and metabolic pathways associated with phenylpropanoid metabolism, as well as on molecular mechanisms that regulate the synthesis of phenylpropanoid metabolites such as lignin and flavonoids. We also encourage the exploration of novel biotechnological resources and techniques to advance the genetic and metabolic engineering of phenylpropanoids.

We accept submissions of all article types accepted in Frontiers in Plant Science, such as original research, reviews, methodologies, mini-reviews, perspectives, and opinion articles. In this Research Topic, we encourage studies that address the following themes, but are not limited to:
• Molecular characterization and genetic regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism
• Techniques and applications for investigating plant phenylpropanoid metabolism.
• Regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism at the translational, post‐transcriptional, and epigenetic levels.
• Discovery, characterization, and application of novel phenylpropanoid metabolism for plant development and stress responses.

Keywords: phenylpropanoid, lignin, flavonoid, biofunctions, plant development, stress response

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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