The roots of Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin (TKS) are well-known and valued for their rubber-producing ability. Therefore, research on the analysis and detection of metabolites from the roots of TKS have been reported in previous studies. However, all of these studies have the shortcoming of focusing on only the rubber of TKS, without profiling the other metabolites in a systematic and comprehensive way. Here, the primary and secondary metabolites from the leaves of TKS were investigated using UPLC–ESI–MS/MS, and a total of 229 metabolites were characterized. Carboxylic acid derivatives, fatty acyls, phenols, and organooxygen compounds were found to be the major metabolites of TKS. The transcriptome data indicated that ribosomal, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and linoleic acid metabolism genes were significantly differentially expressed. This study is the first to report the differences in the metabolic and transcriptome profiles of TKS leaves under exogenous ethephon spray, which improves our understanding of the main metabolites and their molecular mechanisms in TKS leaves.

Terpenoids, vital pharmaceutical compounds, face production challenges due to low yields in native plants and ecological concerns. This review synthesizes recent advances in metabolic engineering strategies implemented across three complementary platforms: native medicinal plants, microbial systems, and heterologous plant hosts. We elucidate how the "Genomic Insights to Biotechnological Applications" paradigm, empowered by multi-omics technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, etc., drives research advancements. These technologies facilitate the identification of key biosynthetic genes and regulatory networks. CRISPR-based tools, enzyme engineering, and subcellular targeting are highlighted as transformative strategies. Significant yield improvements have been demonstrated, with artemisinin and paclitaxel precursors showing considerable increases in production through strategic co-expression and optimization techniques. Persistent challenges such as metabolic flux balancing, cytotoxicity, and scale-up economics are discussed alongside emerging solutions including machine learning and photoautotrophic chassis. We conclude by outlining a roadmap for industrial translation that emphasizes the critical integration of systems biology and synthetic biology approaches to accelerate the transition of terpenoid biomanufacturing from discovery to commercial scale.

Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai, a member of the family Chloranthaceae, has a rich history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. To date, >400 compounds have been isolated and characterized from this plant. Studying the genome of S. glabra is particularly important for understanding the synthesis and functions of these compounds. This study presents the first genome assembly of S. glabra using nanopore, short-read, and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture sequencing. The final genome assembly was 4.78 Gb, and was grouped into 15 chromosomes. The contig and scaffold N50 values were 602 kb and 226.1 Mb, respectively. Genome annotation revealed 41,423 protein-coding genes, with 80.21% (33,223 genes) annotated into different databases and clustered into 15,026 gene families in S. glabra. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that S. glabra formed a distinct clade with C. sessilifolius, C. salicifolius, and C. demersum. The highly contiguous genome assembly of S. glabra provides a valuable genomic resource for elucidating the genetic basis of this plant and for improving the yield and quality of medicinal plants.