人参皂苷生物合成和次生代谢工程

人参皂苷属于植物三萜皂苷类化合物，是传统名贵药材人参和西洋参的主要活性成分，具有抗炎、抗氧化作用，还有广泛的抗肿瘤作用。人参皂苷与植物甾醇共享前期代谢途径，通过2, 3-氧化鲨烯环化步骤进入三萜代谢分支途径，在三萜碳环骨架复杂修饰的基础上形成人参皂苷。综述了近年人参皂苷生物合成途径及关键酶基因研究的最新进展，揭示了人参皂苷生物合成的基本途径，对途径中关键酶的基因进行了综述，并结合次生代谢工程技术, 探讨了该技术在人参皂苷生物合成中的应用前景。

Progress in Ginsenosides Biosynthesis and Prospect of the Secondary Metabolic Engineering for the Production of Ginsenosides

Ginsenosides, which belongs to triterpenoid saponins of plant terpenoids, are the main active components of the valuable medicinal herbs ginseng and American ginseng. Recent studies show that ginsenosides have a variety of beneficial effects, including anti-inflamatory, antioxidant, and anticancer effects. Ginsenosides are synthesized by complicated modification of triterpenoid skeleton after cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene through triterpene saponin synthesis pathway in which they share common early steps with phytosterols synthesis.It outlines recent advances for the biosynthesis of ginsenosides, the cloning and characterization of genes encoding key enzymes in the pathway and the basal framework of ginsenosides biosynthesis pathway. The prospects of secondary metabolism engineering in the biosynthesis of plant natural products and its application in ginsenosides biosynthesis are also discussed.