ABSTRACT
As a key place for cellular activity, chloroplast carries out not only photosynthesis, but also the synthesis of amino acids, lipidic compounds, phytohormones and secondary metabolites, and the assimilations of nitrogen and sulfur. In addition, as a target place for the production of biomolecules and the improvement of agronomic traits, the chloroplast has been extensively explored for the last 30 years and the engineered chloroplast genomes have been able to produce valued molecules, such as enzymes, secondary metabolites, protein drugs, vaccines, and interfering RNA. Moreover, plants or algae expressing biomolecules in their chloroplasts can be orally delivered to human and animals for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes. This chapter describes the recent technological advancements in molecular tools for the engineering of chloroplasts and some future issues needed to be addressed.
