Phenolic compounds are derived from the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathways of plants and include phenylpropionic acids, lignins, coumarins, and flavonoids. These compounds are among the most abundant and diverse classes of secondary metabolites found throughout the plant kingdom. Phenolic compounds play critical roles in the growth, development, and stress resistance of horticultural plants. Moreover, some phenolic compounds exhibit substantial biological activities, and they are widely utilized across various sectors, such as the pharmaceutical and food industries. The cytochrome P450 monooxygenase 98A subfamily (CYP98A) is involved mainly in the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds, mediating the meta-hydroxylation of aromatic rings in the common phenylpropane biosynthesis pathways of phenolic compounds. However, research on this family of oxidases is currently fragmented, and a systematic and comprehensive review has not yet been conducted. This review offers an exhaustive summary of the molecular features of the CYP98A family and the functions of CYP98A monooxygenases in the biosynthesis of different types of phenolic compounds. In addition, this study provides a reference for the exploration and functional study of plant CYP98A family enzymes. An enhanced understanding of CYP98A monooxygenases can help in the cultivation of high-quality horticultural plants with increased resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and enhanced accumulation of natural bioactive compounds via metabolic engineering strategies. Moreover, the structural optimization and modification of CYP98A monooxygenases can provide additional potential targets for synthetic biology, enabling the efficient in vitro production of important phenolic compounds to address production supply conflicts.

Salvia miltiorrhiza, the valuable traditional Chinese medicinal plant, has been used in clinics for thousands of years. The water-soluble salvianolic acid compounds are bioactive substances used in treating many diseases. Gibberellins (GAs) are growth-promoting phytohormones that regulate plant growth and development. Previous studies have demonstrated that GAs can promote salvianolic acid accumulation in S. miltiorrhiza; however, the underlying mechanism requires further investigation. Here, we identified a GA-induced R2R3MYB transcription factor (TF), SmMYB71, from a transcriptome library of GA-treated S. miltiorrhiza. SmMYB71 was highly expressed in the root of S. miltiorrhiza and localized to the nucleus. SmMYB71-knockout hairy roots showed higher salvianolic acid accumulation compared to wild lines. Overexpressing SmMYB71 in S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots significantly decreased the content of salvianolic acid by downregulating key salvianolic acid biosynthesis enzymes such as SmRAS and SmCYP98A14. The GCC box in the promoter of SmMYB71 can bind with SmERF115, suggesting that SmMYB71 is regulated by SmERF115 in salvianolic acid biosynthesis. These findings demonstrate a novel regulatory role of SmMYB71 in GA-mediated phenolic acid biosynthesis. With the development of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing technology, the SmMYB71 regulation mechanism of salvianolic acid biosynthesis provides a potential target gene for metabolic engineering to increase the quality of S. miltiorrhiza.

Radiation-induced chronic wounds remain a major clinical challenge owing to persistent non-healing and progressive tissue degeneration. Rather than simply representing delayed wound repair, they arise from a self-perpetuating pathological cascade involving DNA damage, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, microvascular dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell impairment, and fibrosis. Current clinical management remains largely supportive and symptomatic, with limited efficacy and no standardized therapeutic regimens targeting the core pathological mechanisms. Emerging strategies—antioxidant, antifibrotic, senolytic, stem cell/exosome-based, and functional biomaterial approaches—show promise. This review critically summarizes recent advances in pathogenic mechanisms and mechanism-based therapeutic strategies, highlighting current translational challenges and future directions for microenvironment-oriented regenerative therapies.