The Last Decade of Medicinal Plant Genomics: Advances and Challenges

Junfeng Chen; Yuchen Zhang; Yajing Li; Yiru Liu; Qing Li; Zongyou Lv; Milen I. Georgiev; Pan Liao

doi:10.1016/j.eng.2025.09.024

The Last Decade of Medicinal Plant Genomics: Advances and Challenges

Junfeng Chen (Co-first author)
, Yuchen Zhang (Co-first author)
, Yajing Li (Co-first author)
, Yiru Liu
, Qing Li
, Zongyou Lv
, Milen I. Georgiev^*
, Pan Liao^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

Abstract

Over the past decade (2014–2025), owing to increasing genome sequencing technologies and decreasing cost, research on medicinal plant genomes (MPGs) has expanded extensively. This advancement has significantly accelerated progress in multiple areas, including elucidating specialized metabolic pathways, conserving endangered species, advancing molecular breeding strategies, and accelerating metabolic engineering innovations. Here, we attempt to provide a contemporary view of MPGs, including analyses of sequenced species and assembly data, the advantages of illustrating the metabolic pathways of active compounds, and demonstrating how MPGs facilitate the metabolic biosynthesis characterization of medicinal plants.

Original language	English
Number of pages	8
Journal	Engineering
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2025.09.024
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 15 Oct 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 15 Life on Land

User-Defined Keywords

Active metabolites
Biosynthesis pathway
Genome sequencing
Medicinal plant
Multiomics

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10.1016/j.eng.2025.09.024Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@article{376048d8aea043368fd9b824bd0794fe,

title = "The Last Decade of Medicinal Plant Genomics: Advances and Challenges",

abstract = "Over the past decade (2014–2025), owing to increasing genome sequencing technologies and decreasing cost, research on medicinal plant genomes (MPGs) has expanded extensively. This advancement has significantly accelerated progress in multiple areas, including elucidating specialized metabolic pathways, conserving endangered species, advancing molecular breeding strategies, and accelerating metabolic engineering innovations. Here, we attempt to provide a contemporary view of MPGs, including analyses of sequenced species and assembly data, the advantages of illustrating the metabolic pathways of active compounds, and demonstrating how MPGs facilitate the metabolic biosynthesis characterization of medicinal plants.",

keywords = "Active metabolites, Biosynthesis pathway, Genome sequencing, Medicinal plant, Multiomics",

author = "Junfeng Chen and Yuchen Zhang and Yajing Li and Yiru Liu and Qing Li and Zongyou Lv and Georgiev, \{Milen I.\} and Pan Liao",

note = "This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82374159), the Chenguang Project of Shanghai (23CGA52), the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) Early Career Scheme 22100923, the NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme (N\_HKBU201/23), Hong Kong Baptist University, Research Committee, Initiation Grant-Faculty Niche Research Areas (IG-FNRA) 2022/23 (RC-FNRA-IG/22-23/SCI/01), and the European Regional Development Fund through Programme Research Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation (BG16RFPR002-1.014-0003-C01). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 THE AUTHORS",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.eng.2025.09.024",

language = "English",

journal = "Engineering",

issn = "2095-8099",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Last Decade of Medicinal Plant Genomics

T2 - Advances and Challenges

AU - Chen, Junfeng

AU - Zhang, Yuchen

AU - Li, Yajing

AU - Liu, Yiru

AU - Li, Qing

AU - Lv, Zongyou

AU - Georgiev, Milen I.

AU - Liao, Pan

N1 - This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82374159), the Chenguang Project of Shanghai (23CGA52), the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC) Early Career Scheme 22100923, the NSFC/RGC Joint Research Scheme (N_HKBU201/23), Hong Kong Baptist University, Research Committee, Initiation Grant-Faculty Niche Research Areas (IG-FNRA) 2022/23 (RC-FNRA-IG/22-23/SCI/01), and the European Regional Development Fund through Programme Research Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation (BG16RFPR002-1.014-0003-C01). Publisher Copyright: © 2025 THE AUTHORS

PY - 2025/10/15

Y1 - 2025/10/15

N2 - Over the past decade (2014–2025), owing to increasing genome sequencing technologies and decreasing cost, research on medicinal plant genomes (MPGs) has expanded extensively. This advancement has significantly accelerated progress in multiple areas, including elucidating specialized metabolic pathways, conserving endangered species, advancing molecular breeding strategies, and accelerating metabolic engineering innovations. Here, we attempt to provide a contemporary view of MPGs, including analyses of sequenced species and assembly data, the advantages of illustrating the metabolic pathways of active compounds, and demonstrating how MPGs facilitate the metabolic biosynthesis characterization of medicinal plants.

AB - Over the past decade (2014–2025), owing to increasing genome sequencing technologies and decreasing cost, research on medicinal plant genomes (MPGs) has expanded extensively. This advancement has significantly accelerated progress in multiple areas, including elucidating specialized metabolic pathways, conserving endangered species, advancing molecular breeding strategies, and accelerating metabolic engineering innovations. Here, we attempt to provide a contemporary view of MPGs, including analyses of sequenced species and assembly data, the advantages of illustrating the metabolic pathways of active compounds, and demonstrating how MPGs facilitate the metabolic biosynthesis characterization of medicinal plants.

KW - Active metabolites

KW - Biosynthesis pathway

KW - Genome sequencing

KW - Medicinal plant

KW - Multiomics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105020049046

UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095809925005934?via%3Dihub

U2 - 10.1016/j.eng.2025.09.024

DO - 10.1016/j.eng.2025.09.024

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:105020049046

SN - 2095-8099

JO - Engineering

JF - Engineering

ER -

The Last Decade of Medicinal Plant Genomics: Advances and Challenges

Abstract

UN SDGs

User-Defined Keywords

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