L-tyrosine metabolic pathway in microorganisms and its application in the biosynthesis of plant-derived natural products

L-tyrosine, an aromatic amino acid, is an important upstream precursor for the synthesis of a series of valuable natural products such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. In recent years, regulation of the L-tyrosine metabolic pathway has been devoted to enhancing the production of L-tyrosine and the derived bioactive compounds in microorganisms, usually by increasing the supply of precursors, blocking competitive routes, and modulating the transport system. Here, we reviewed the strategies to promote L-tyrosine production in microbial hosts and the common strategies to produce bioactive compounds in engineered Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to better understand and utilize the L-tyrosine metabolic pathway for microbial overproduction of diverse valuable aromatic compounds in the future.