Gene Engineering of Lamiaceae Family: Basic and Applied Research

Abstract

Gene engineering is a convenient way of solving basic and applied tasks related to the system of secondary metabolism of medicinal and aromatic plants, such as a large and economically important plant family Lamiaceae Martinov (Labiatae Juss.) that includes such major species, as Agastache, Dracocephalum, Lavandula, Mentha, Ocimum, Salvia, Satureja, Thymus, etc. The basic value of this method consists in studying the genetic mechanism of secondary metabolism, which includes key enzyme genes, transcription factors, etc. Applied research consists in producing valuable secondary metabolites with biological activity, including active pharmaceutical ingredients in both, the familyʹs plants proper and the heterologous systems using relevant plant genes. This overview considers a set of diverse gene engineering studies.