Novel plant cell suspension platforms for saffron apocarotenoid production and its impact on carotenoid and volatile profiles.

ABSTRACT: Saffron apocarotenoids, including crocins, picrocrocin and safranal, are valuable metabolites with pharmaceutical and cosmetic potential. However, their natural plant sources are difficult to cultivate, which limits large-scale production. The identification of carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs), which catalyse the first and most critical step in their biosynthesis, has enabled the production of these apocarotenoids in heterologous plant systems. In this study, we aimed to generate plant cell suspensions expressing Crocus sativus CCD2 and Gardenia jasminoides CCD4a, along with a bacterial phytoene synthase to enhance carotenoid biosynthesis and CsUGT93P1, which improves crocin stability. Transgenic cell suspensions were established from Nicotiana benthamiana plants and Nicotiana tabac

SUBMITTER: Lobato-Gomez M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12392949 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature