From the Photosynthesis to Hormone Biosynthesis in Plants

Land plants produce glucose (C6H12O6) through photosynthesis by utilizing carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and light energy. Glucose can be stored in various polysaccharide forms for later use (e.g., sucrose in fruit, amylose in plastids), used to create cellulose, the primary structural component of cell walls, and immediately metabolized to generate cellular energy, adenosine triphosphate, through a series of respiratory pathways including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Additionally, plants must metabolize glucose into amino acids, nucleotides, and various plant hormones, which are crucial for regulating many aspects of plant physiology. This review will summarize the biosynthesis of different plant hormones, such as auxin, salicylic acid, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene, and abscisic acid, in relation to glucose metabolism.