序: 植物特化代謝における合成生物学の最前線

抄録

Unable to move on their own, plants have acquired the ability to produce a wide variety of low molecular weight compounds to survive against various stresses. It is estimated that there are as many as one million different types of low-molecular-weight compounds. These low-molecular-weight compounds are derived from primary metabolites such as lipids, carbohydrates, and amino acids, and are therefore generally referred to as secondary metabolites. However, recent research has increased the importance of these compounds as essential for plant survival strategies, and researchers of higher plants are now using the term “specialized metabolites” instead. In this special issue, we would like to provide reviews of this research field by asking leading researchers in Japan to write about the forefront of research aimed at understanding specialized metabolism in plants and furthermore, synthetic biological methods.