Abstract:As a naturally occurring secondary metabolite in potatoes, glycoalkaloids (GAs) not only help plants resist attacks from insects and microorganisms, but are also used in medical research due to their extensive pharmacological activities. However, high levels of glycoside alkaloids pose a threat to human life and health. GA biosynthesis begins with acetyl-CoA, in which cholesterol is an important synthesis intermediate. Cholesterol is then synthesized into GAs via a series of reactions, including hydroxylation, oxidation, transamination. GA synthesis is affected by genetics, cultivation, storage methods, and environmental factors. Light is an important environmental signal for regulating the growth and development processes of plants. GA biosynthesis is also regulated by light signals, which can significantly increase their content. In addition, plant hormones are also involved in the GAs biosynthesis pathway as endogenous signals that affect light responses. In this study, the characteristics, biosynthetic pathways, photoregulatory mechanisms, extraction, and detection methods of potato GAs are reviewed to further our understanding of glycoalkaloids and their molecular regulation mechanisms.
