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Updated: Jun 21, 2025
A Customizable Approach for the Enzymatic Production and Purification of Diterpenoid Natural Products
Published on: October 4, 2019
Metabolic engineering of terpene metabolism in lavender
Ojo Michael Oseni1, Reza Sajaditabar1, Soheil S Mahmoud1
1Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7 Canada.
Background:
Several members of the Lamiaceae family of plants produce large amounts of essential oil [EO] that find extensive applications in the food, cosmetics, personal hygiene, and alternative medicine industries. There is interest in enhancing EO metabolism in these plants.
Main Body:
Lavender produces a valuable EO that is highly enriched in monoterpenes, the C10 class of the isoprenoids or terpenoids. In recent years, substantial effort has been made by researchers to study terpene metabolism and enhance lavender EO through plant biotechnology. This paper reviews recent advances related to the cloning of lavender monoterpene biosynthetic genes and metabolic engineering attempts aimed at improving the production of lavender monoterpenes in plants and microbes.
Conclusion:
Metabolic engineering has led to the improvement of EO quality and yield in several plants, including lavender. Furthermore, several biologically active EO constituents have been produced in microorganisms.
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