| Description | Phenylpropanoids are a diverse group of specialized metabolites that contribute to the basic process of plant growth and development, as well as to the plant–environment interactions. They are biosynthesized from the shikimic acid pathway via the aromatic amino acid phenylalanine or tyrosine in certain plants (Deng and Lu, 2017). These amino acids provide phenylpropanoids a C6-C3 (a phenyl group linked to a 3‐C propane side chain) skeleton, producing derivatives with one, two or more aromatic rings, each ring with a variable substitution pattern and with different modifications of the C3 side chain.
The phenylpropanoid metabolism yields a huge quantity of compounds with multiple biological activities, such as flavonoids (eg flavanones, flavones, flavonols, flavanols, anthocyanidins, and isoflavones), which participate in organ pigmentation, UV protection and plant-microbe interactions; lignin, which is involved in the mechanical support and waterproofing of plant cell walls; condensed tannins, which give the fruit and its products important organoleptic properties, like astringency, bitterness, and colour stability; and phytoalexins, which are active in resisting herbivores and infectious pathogens (Deng and Lu, 2017). Along with their biological functions, phenylpropanoids are economically significant metabolites. They are of interest for their numerous pharmacological and industrial applications, for example, several of which are considered high-value biochemicals used in the production of perfumes, pharmaceuticals, and biopolymers (Lin and Eudes, 2020). Moreover, the phenylpropanoid-based polymers such as lignin and suberin are … |
