Phenolic compounds in plants: biogenesis and functions

Phenolic compounds (PCs) in plants play an important role in growth control and have antioxidant, structural, attractant, signaling and protective functions. Information on the discovery, study and identification of phenolic compounds in plants, their role in the complex system of secondary metabolites has been analyzed and summarized. The functions of PCs at the macromolecular, cellular as well as organism and population levels are described. The pathways of PCs formation, enzymes responsible for their synthesis and the plasticity of the synthesis in a plant cell are highlighted. The involvement of PCs in the plant breathing, photosynthesis, oxidation-reduction processes and regulation of the plants physiological state are discussed