Question

Write about any two strategies available to enhance the production of secondary metabolites in plant genetic engineering.

Hint:

Make sure to remember various methods in plant genetic engineering, and their application in producing useful products.

Answer 1

Overexpression of Genes: One strategy is to overexpress the genes that encode for the first enzyme in a biosynthetic pathway. The first enzyme in the pathway is often the rate limiting step, and increasing its activity will increase the production of the end product. Agrobacterium-mediated induction of secondary roots: Another technique is to use Agrobacterium rhizogenes} to induce the formation of excessive secondary roots in plants that normally produce useful secondary metabolites in these roots, increasing their production and their harvesting.