Secondary Metabolism in Microorganisms, Plants, and Animals

This 3rd edition is again an up-to-date and competent review of the latest results on the biosynthesis, storage, and degradation of secondary metabolites, characteristic compounds of specialized cells of all groups of organisms. This multitude of natural products with a variety of different chemical structures includes important raw materials used in industry, compounds responsible for the taste and flavor of foodstuffs and beverages, and several substances used as drugs in medicine. To cope with the rapid development of biology and natural product chemistry new chapters on: - the transport of secondary compounds within the producer organism, - the significance of colored and toxic secondary products, - and on the improvement of secondary product biosynthesis by genetical means were included.