Biosynthetic Pathways in Plant Cell Cultures

Plant cell cultures have emerged as versatile platforms for the sustainable production and elucidation of complex specialised metabolites. By isolating cells or organs from donor plants and cultivating them under controlled conditions, researchers can probe biosynthetic pathways that yield alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics and other high-value compounds. These in vitro systems bypass issues of seasonality and ecological impact, offering reproducible yields and the potential for metabolic engineering. Key strategies include the application of elicitors to trigger defence-related pathways, optimisation of culture media and bioreactor designs, and the deployment of genetic tools to overexpress or silence pathway genes. Advances in omics technologies and bioprocess engineering have resolved bottlenecks related to enzyme discovery, subcellular compartmentalisation and flux regulation, driving improvements in titre, rate and yield. Such developments underpin applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food additives and sustainable agriculture, while reducing reliance on wild plant harvesting and facilitating access to rare or slow-growing species.

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Biosynthetic Pathways in Plant Cell Cultures publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in biosynthetic pathways in plant cell cultures across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Elicitor: A biotic or abiotic agent applied to cell cultures to stimulate the biosynthetic pathways of specialised metabolites.

Hairy root culture: Plant roots induced by Rhizobium rhizogenes infection, characterised by fast growth, genetic stability and high metabolite production.

Secondary metabolite: Low-molecular-weight compounds not directly involved in growth but important for defence and signalling, including alkaloids, terpenoids and phenolics.

Cell suspension culture: A uniform population of plant cells grown in liquid medium, used for large-scale production of metabolites.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules, such as peroxides or superoxides, generated in response to stress and that modulate defence pathways.

References

1. Elicitation, an Effective Strategy for the Biotechnological Production of Bioactive High-Added Value Compounds in Plant Cell Factories. Molecules (2016).
2. Methyl Jasmonate Induced Oxidative Stress and Accumulation of Secondary Metabolites in Plant Cell and Organ Cultures. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2020).
3. Hairy Root Cultures—A Versatile Tool With Multiple Applications. Frontiers in Plant Science (2020).