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Updated: Nov 25, 2025

Optimization and Utilization of Agrobacterium-mediated Transient Protein Production in Nicotiana
Published on: April 19, 2014
Engineering Metabolism in Nicotiana Species: A Promising Future
Francisco Javier Molina-Hidalgo1, Marta Vazquez-Vilar2, Lucio D'Andrea3
1Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent, Belgium; VIB Center for Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract:
Molecular farming intends to use crop plants as biofactories for high value-added compounds following application of a wide range of biotechnological tools. In particular, the conversion of nonfood crops into efficient biofactories is expected to be a strong asset in the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. The 'nonfood' status combined with the high metabolic versatility and the capacity of high-yield cultivation highlight the plant genus Nicotiana as one of the most appropriate 'chassis' for molecular farming. Nicotiana species are a rich source of valuable industrial, active pharmaceutical ingredients and nutritional compounds, synthesized from highly complex biosynthetic networks. Here, we review and discuss approaches currently used to design enriched Nicotiana species for molecular farming using new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs).
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