Recent advances and multiple strategies for the synthesis of terpenoid fragrances and flavors in model microorganisms

Terpenoids, known for their structural and functional diversity, play a significant role in various fields such as energy, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and fragrances. With the increasing globalization of the fragrance and flavor market, there is an urgent need to develop microbial cell factories to sustainably produce terpenoids through fermentation using renewable raw materials. With advancements in biotechnology, constructing efficient microbial cell factories for the heterologous synthesis of terpenoids to meet production demands has become feasible. Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have emerged as potential hosts for terpenoid synthesis due to their short growth cycles, well-characterized genetic backgrounds, and ease of manipulation. This review delves into the biosynthetic pathways and genome editing technologies of terpenoids, and provides a comprehensive summary of the latest production strategies, including increasing precursor flux, enzyme engineering, suppressing flux in competing pathways, alleviating cellular toxicity, optimizing substrate utilization, and improving fermentation processes. Finally, we outline the future prospects for efficiently designing cell factories specifically tailored for the production of terpenoid fragrances and flavors.