Bioscience Evidence 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 56-68 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 64 culture seedlings and rootstocks, which are crucial for mass production. Kim et al. (2020) found that there are significant differences in the field growth characteristics and yield of medicinal parts among standard rootstock seedlings (SR), culture rootstock seedlings (CR), and culture seedlings (CS). SR had the highest number of leaves, but the leaf area and length were smaller compared to CR and CS. Additionally, the fresh and dry weights of the underground parts of CR and CS were twice that of SR. Chemical analysis showed that the chemical composition of CR and CS was similar to that of SR, but the catalpol content was slightly lower. The research indicates that CR and CS seedling types have significant advantages in large-scale field production, helping to reduce labor and increase production efficiency (Figure 4) (Kim et al., 2020). This approach not only enhances productivity but also mitigates issues such as root rot and low-quality yields, which are common in traditional seed cultivation. Figure 4 Comparison of root morphology of the different seedling types (Adopted from Kim et al., 2020) Image caption: Comparison of root morphology of three types of Rehmannia glutinosa seedlings (Standard Rootstock SR, Culture Rootstock CR, and Culture Seedling CS). The results showed that SR had the longest tuberous root length, while CS had the shortest root length. CR had the highest fresh weight of the tuberous root, followed by CS, and SR had the lowest. The dry weight trend was consistent with the fresh weight. CR had the largest root surface area (46 cm²), while SR had the smallest (30.3 cm²). Figure demonstrates that CR has significant advantages in field production by showing the root growth characteristics of different seedling types(Adapetd Kim et al., 2020) 8.3 Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology offer promising avenues for enhancing the medicinal potential of R. glutinosa. For instance, the biosynthetic pathways of key compounds like catalpol and acteoside have been partially elucidated through transcriptome sequencing, identifying numerous genes and transcription factors involved in their biosynthesis (Zhi et al., 2018). Furthermore, the reconstitution of the ferulic acid (FA) biosynthetic pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using R. glutinosa enzymes has demonstrated the potential for producing pharmacologically significant compounds in a heterologous host (Yang et al., 2023). This approach not only facilitates the study of complex biosynthetic pathways but also enables the scalable production of valuable medicinal compounds. The integration of genetic engineering, tissue culture, and metabolic engineering techniques holds significant promise for advancing the cultivation and medicinal application of Rehmannia glutinosa. These biotechnological applications not only enhance the understanding of its genetic code but also unlock new potentials for its use in traditional and modern medicine. 9 Challenges and Future Directions 9.1 Current limitations in genomic research Despite the significant advancements in genomic research on Rehmannia glutinosa, several challenges remain (Zhi et al., 2018). One of the primary limitations is the incomplete and fragmented nature of the current genome assemblies. High-quality, fully assembled genomes are essential for accurately identifying and characterizing
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzMg==