Cyanobacteria represent a promising platform for the production of plant secondary metabolites. Their capacity to express plant P450 proteins, which have essential functions in the biosynthesis of many plant secondary metabolites, makes cyanobacteria ideal for this purpose, and their photosynthetic capability allows cyanobacteria to grow with simple nutrient inputs. This review summarizes the advantages of using cyanobacteria to transgenically produce plant secondary metabolites. Some techniques to improve heterologous gene expression in cyanobacteria are discussed.
Keywords: P450 proteins; cyanobacteria; phenylpropanoid; photosynthetic growth; plant secondary metabolites.