Synthetic biomanufacturing of plant natural products: technological breakthroughs and industrial transformation

Plant natural products possess significant application value in medicine, food, and agriculture owing to their diverse biological activities. However, traditional production methods relying on plant extraction face challenges including resource scarcity, low efficiency, and environmental pressures. Synthetic biology provides innovative strategies for efficient biosynthesis of plant natural products through the analysis of metabolic pathways, the mining of key enzymes, the optimization of chassis cells, and the reconstruction of metabolic networks. Herein, we systematically review core technological advances in synthetic biology for plant natural product production, including:multi-omics-driven elucidation of metabolic pathways, enzyme optimization through protein engineering and directed evolution, adaptive modification of chassis cells (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli), and integration of artificial intelligence and automation technologies. We discuss the industrial potential of synthetic biology in medicine, food, and environmental protection through representative cases (e.g., breviscapine, ginsenosides, and tanshinones). Despite persistent challenges such as metabolic pathway complexity, insufficient enzyme catalytic efficiency, and high industrialization costs, synthetic biology - through interdisciplinary integration and policy support - is poised to enable green, sustainable production of plant natural products.