Since the first separation, protoplasts have played an important role in basic and applied research of plant biology and molecular biology. There are a lot of reports on protoplast preparation and transformation, especially in the selection of explants, enzymatic environment and transformation mode. Protoplasts have also been widely used in gene expression and regulation, especially in subcellular localization, protein interaction and promoter activity. In this paper, the preparation and transformation of protoplasts and the related research reports in gene expression and regulation are reviewed. The research status of protoplast in the molecular mechanism analysis of quality formation of traditional Chinese medicine is summarized. At the same time, the researches of protoplast in the molecular mechanism research of quality formation of traditional Chinese medicine are prospected. Firstly, we should further strengthen the exploration of protoplast preparation and transformation conditions of different traditional Chinese medicine resources. Secondly, we should further strengthen the research on quality formation related functional genes by using protoplast. Third, we should further make the study on the molecular regulation of quality formation of traditional Chinese medicine by protoplast. This paper attempts to provide a new way of thinking and technical method for the analysis of molecular mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine quality formation in the future.
Keywords: molecular mechanism; protoplast; quality formation; traditional Chinese medicine.