Plant Secondary Metabolites and Their Regulatory Mechanisms
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 66
Special Issue Editor
Interests: plant physiology and biochemistry; functional analysis of genes; abiotic stress; oxidative stress; secondary metabolites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Plants produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites (SMs)—such as phenolics, terpenes, tocopherols, and alkaloids—which play key roles in plant fitness, from attracting pollinators to protecting against environmental stresses and pathogens. SMs are also valuable for human health thanks to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardioprotective properties, which explains the growing industrial interest for these compounds. The pharmaceutical sector uses plant SMs as drugs or as lead compounds for semi-synthetic derivatives. Food and nutraceutical companies employ them as functional ingredients, antioxidants, colorants, and flavorings, while cosmetics companies value their anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and UV-protective effects; there are also agricultural benefits with their use in sustainable biostimulants and biopesticides. Recent advances in understanding the biosynthesis of SMs—pathways, key enzymes, and regulatory mechanisms—now allow the biotechnological production of SMs through plant cell cultures, engineered microbes, or genetically improved crops, offering more efficient alternatives to extracting the small amounts found naturally. This Special Issue focuses on original research articles and reviews exploring plant SMs, with particular attention given to recent progress in understanding the regulatory mechanisms that control their biosynthesis and degradation. The goal of this Special Issue is to offer an accessible collection of cutting-edge studies that support ongoing research on secondary metabolism and the efficient production of valuable bioactive compounds.
Dr. Daniela Trono
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- secondary metabolites
- plant growth and development
- response to biotic and abiotic stresses
- biosynthesis and degradation
- gene and enzyme regulation
- metabolic engineering
- omics approaches
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