Oats (Avena sativa L.) are one of the worldwide cereal crops. Avenanthramides (AVNs), the unique plant alkaloids of secondary metabolites found in oats, are nutritionally important for humans and animals. Numerous bioactivities of AVNs have been investigated and demonstrated in vivo and in vitro. Despite all these, researchers from all over the world are taking efforts to learn more knowledge about AVNs. In this work, we highlighted the recent updated findings that have increased our understanding of AVNs bioactivity, distribution, and especially the AVNs biosynthesis. Since the limits content of AVNs in oats strictly hinders the demand, understanding the mechanisms underlying AVN biosynthesis is important not only for developing a renewable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly source in both plants and microorganisms but also for designing effective strategies for enhancing their production via induction and metabolic engineering. Future directions for improving AVN production in native producers and heterologous systems for food and feed use are also discussed. This summary will provide a broad view of these specific natural products from oats.
Keywords: Avena sativa L.; Avenanthramide; bioactivity; biosynthesis; engineering; hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:hydroxyanthranilate N-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase; metabolic.
• Avenanthramides are unique nutritional alkaloids in oats• AVN bioactivity, distribution, and the potential AVNs biosynthesis are discussed• AVNs can be produced via induction and metabolic engineering.