title: Hairy root research: recent scenario and exciting prospects.
abstract: High stability of the production of secondary metabolites is an interesting characteristic of hairy root cultures. For 25 years, hairy roots have been investigated as a biological system for the production of valuable compounds from medicinal plants. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of hairy root development, which is based on the transfer of Agrobacterium rhizogenes T-DNA into the plant genome, has facilitated its increasing use in metabolic engineering. Hairy roots can also produce recombinant proteins from transgenic roots, and thereby hold immense potential for the pharmaceutical industry. In addition, hairy roots offer promise for phytoremediation because of their abundant neoplastic root proliferation. Recent progress in the scaling-up of hairy root cultures is making this system an attractive tool for industrial processes.
authors.affiliation: UPRES EA 2106 'Biomolécules et Biotechnologies Végétales', Université François Rabelais, UFR des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guillon
authors.forename: Jocelyne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trémouillaux-Guiller
authors.forename: Pratap Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Pati
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rideau
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gantet
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques