In the course of evolution, plants have acquired an array of metabolic pathways dedicated to produce thousands of different specialized or secondary metabolites uniquely distributed in the botanical taxa. These molecules allow for efficient responses to environmental factors and take part in developmental programs throughout the life cycle of plants. Some of the factors driving this chemical diversity are the sessile nature of these organisms and their presence in distinct parts of the planet, characterized by a wide gradient of biotic and abiotic conditions. The basic raw materials on which selective pressures work generating special metabolism are genes of primary metabolism. At the biochemical level, primary metabolite precursors provide the initial chemical substrates for specialized biosynthesis.
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