As flavonoids and stilbenes are typical examples of polyphenolic compounds in nature, their potentials for human health benefits have been widely known as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral ...agents, as well as antioxidants. In addition to drug development, their application as coloring agents, cosmetic materials, and dietary supplements have resulted in great interest in the mass production of flavonoids and stilbenes through various methodologies. Production in recombinant microorganisms provides an attractive alternative to plant extraction and chemical synthesis due to increased cost and time efficiency. Microbes can be engineered to produce complex structures from simple, inexpensive precursors under standardized control. As metabolic engineering methods and strategies continue to develop and diversify, production yields of target molecules continue to improve. This chapter describes the importance of the pharmacological properties of flavonoids and stilbenes and discusses strategies for their biosynthesis in microorganisms using metabolic engineering techniques.
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