Programmable plant chassis for sustainable biomanufacturing of high-value natural products

Biomanufacturing has emerged as a strategic emerging industry worldwide, offering sustainable alternatives to conventional chemical manufacturing. To support this development, diverse production chassis have been developed, including microorganisms, mammalian cell culture systems, and plant-based platforms. Among these, plants represent a promising chassis for the biosynthesis of high-value products, as they directly fix CO₂ through photosynthesis and possess sophisticated metabolic networks that facilitate the production of structurally complex molecules. Recent advances in synthetic biology have increased the programmability of plant systems and enabled their development as engineered production chassis for the production of high-value products. This review integrates recent advances in natural and synthetic genetic elements including promoters, terminators, and transcription factors (TFs) that facilitate chassis development are summarized. Recent advances in the elucidation, reconstruction, and optimization of biosynthetic pathways for representative classes of valuable compounds, including alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenylpropanoids, are then highlighted, with particular emphasis on pathway engineering strategies that enhance productivity. Finally, we outline the key challenges and future perspectives for the large-scale industrial applications of plant chassis. This review provides a comprehensive and timely perspective on plant-based biomanufacturing, offering conceptual guidance and practical insights for advancing plant chassis from laboratory research to sustainable industrial applications.