Constructing synthetic pathways in plants: Strategies and tools

Abstract

Plants, being primary producers, are the ultimate choice for the synthetic biology and metabolite engineering. For thousands of years, conventional methods allowed plants to meet various human requirements. Synthetic biology is a combination of engineering and biological science that facilitates with large number of new opportunities toward generation of reprogrammed cell with new biological behavior. The application of this technology can enhance traditional crop production and maximize the desired biomass production in required plants. Efforts in establishments of such individual plant systems will result in pioneering in various applications, such as generation of food, fuel, fiber, and biomedical therapies. The primary goal of this chapter is to discuss the advancement in strategies and tools form the core of synthetic pathway construction. However, synthetic biology in plant system is still at infancy stage and thus implications of synthetic biology strategies deployed in crops for biomass production have been discussed.