Carotenoid biosynthesis genomics

Abstract

Carotenoids are an abundant group of isoprenoid pigments present in all photosynthetic organisms and responsible for the typical yellow, orange, or red coloration exhibited by many flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Besides their many functions in plants, these pigments are also essential components in human and animal diet. Within the past three decades, genes encoding all of the enzymes required for the biosynthesis of these indispensable pigments have been identified and characterized in higher plants, primarily as a result of integration of comparative genomics, biochemical genetics, and molecular approaches in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803. Mutant analysis and transgenic studies in these and other systems have established a foundation for understanding the function, regulation, and evolution of individual genes and enzymes. The aim of this chapter is to review advances in the structure, function, and evolution of these genes and enzymes, as well as the molecular mechanisms regulating carotenoid biosynthesis in higher plants.