Microbial Coculture for Flavonoid Synthesis

Flavonoids are plant-derived natural products with human health-promoting benefits. The modularity and complexity of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway allow us to leverage the metabolic characteristics of distinct microbial hosts and install structural functionalities beyond what monocultures can achieve. We discuss the promising future of applying microbial cocultures to improve the cost-efficiency and diversity of flavonoid biosynthesis. Flavonoids are plant-derived natural products with human health-promoting benefits. The modularity and complexity of the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway allow us to leverage the metabolic characteristics of distinct microbial hosts and install structural functionalities beyond what monocultures can achieve. We discuss the promising future of applying microbial cocultures to improve the cost-efficiency and diversity of flavonoid biosynthesis.