Wang Kai, Liu Zhongchi
Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
Institute of Emerging Agricultural Technology, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
J Integr Plant Biol. 2025 Aug;67(8):1997-2004. doi: 10.1111/jipb.13934. Epub 2025 May 16.
Hidden hunger, caused by chronic micronutrient deficiencies, affects billions of people worldwide and remains a critical public health issue despite progress in food production. Biofortification offers a promising solution by enhancing nutrient levels within plant tissues through traditional breeding or advanced biotechnologies. Recent advancements in plant synthetic biology have significantly improved biofortification strategies, enabling precise and targeted nutrient enrichment. This mini-review outlines five core strategies in synthetic biology-based biofortification: overexpression of endogenous biosynthetic genes, introduction of heterologous biosynthetic pathways, expression of nutrient-specific transporters, optimization of transcriptional regulation, and protein (directed) evolution. Vitamin B biofortification serves as a primary illustrative example due to its historical importance and ongoing relevance. Recent breakthroughs, particularly from Chinese research teams, are also highlighted. Together, these strategies offer transformative potential for addressing global nutritional challenges through precise, sustainable and innovative plant-based approaches.
隐性饥饿由慢性微量营养素缺乏引起，影响着全球数十亿人，尽管粮食生产取得了进展，但它仍然是一个关键的公共卫生问题。生物强化通过传统育种或先进生物技术提高植物组织中的营养水平，提供了一个有前景的解决方案。植物合成生物学的最新进展显著改进了生物强化策略，能够实现精确且有针对性的营养强化。本综述概述了基于合成生物学的生物强化的五个核心策略：内源性生物合成基因的过表达、异源生物合成途径的引入、营养特异性转运蛋白的表达、转录调控的优化以及蛋白质（定向）进化。由于维生素B的历史重要性和持续相关性，维生素B生物强化作为主要的说明性例子。还强调了最近的突破，特别是来自中国研究团队的突破。总之，这些策略通过精确、可持续和创新的植物性方法，为应对全球营养挑战提供了变革性潜力。
