TY - JOUR
T1 - Carotenoids in nature
T2 - Insights from plants and beyond
AU - Cazzonelli, Christopher I.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Carotenoids are natural isoprenoid pigments that provide leaves, fruits, vegetables and flowers with distinctive yellow, orange and some reddish colours as well as several aromas in plants. Their bright colours serve as attractants for pollination and seed dispersal. Carotenoids comprise a large family of C40 polyenes and are synthesised by all photosynthetic organisms, aphids, some bacteria and fungi alike. In animals carotenoid derivatives promote health, improve sexual behaviour and are essential for reproduction. As such, carotenoids are commercially important in agriculture, food, health and the cosmetic industries. In plants, carotenoids are essential components required for photosynthesis, photoprotection and the production of carotenoid-derived phytohormones, including ABA and strigolactone. The carotenoid biosynthetic pathway has been extensively studied in a range of organisms providing an almost complete pathway for carotenogenesis. A new wave in carotenoid biology has revealed implications for epigenetic and metabolic feedback control of carotenogenesis. Developmental and environmental signals can regulate carotenoid gene expression thereby affecting carotenoid accumulation. This review highlights mechanisms controlling (1) the first committed step in phytoene biosynthesis, (2) flux through the branch to synthesis of α- and β-carotenes and (3) metabolic feedback signalling within and between the carotenoid, MEP and ABA pathways.
AB - Carotenoids are natural isoprenoid pigments that provide leaves, fruits, vegetables and flowers with distinctive yellow, orange and some reddish colours as well as several aromas in plants. Their bright colours serve as attractants for pollination and seed dispersal. Carotenoids comprise a large family of C40 polyenes and are synthesised by all photosynthetic organisms, aphids, some bacteria and fungi alike. In animals carotenoid derivatives promote health, improve sexual behaviour and are essential for reproduction. As such, carotenoids are commercially important in agriculture, food, health and the cosmetic industries. In plants, carotenoids are essential components required for photosynthesis, photoprotection and the production of carotenoid-derived phytohormones, including ABA and strigolactone. The carotenoid biosynthetic pathway has been extensively studied in a range of organisms providing an almost complete pathway for carotenogenesis. A new wave in carotenoid biology has revealed implications for epigenetic and metabolic feedback control of carotenogenesis. Developmental and environmental signals can regulate carotenoid gene expression thereby affecting carotenoid accumulation. This review highlights mechanisms controlling (1) the first committed step in phytoene biosynthesis, (2) flux through the branch to synthesis of α- and β-carotenes and (3) metabolic feedback signalling within and between the carotenoid, MEP and ABA pathways.
KW - abscisic acid
KW - apocarotenoids
KW - carotenoid
KW - chloroplast
KW - chromatin
KW - epigenetic
KW - hormones
KW - isoprenoid
KW - metabolic feedback
KW - photoisomerisation
KW - plant
KW - regulation
KW - signal molecule
KW - strigolactone
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80055066234&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/FP11192
DO - 10.1071/FP11192
M3 - Review article
SN - 1445-4408
VL - 38
SP - 833
EP - 847
JO - Functional Plant Biology
JF - Functional Plant Biology
IS - 11
ER -