Molecular Biology of Chili Pepper Anthocyanin Biosynthesis

Chili pepper (Capsicum spp.) is an important horticultural crop worldwide. Chili pepper fruits from different Capsicum species have been highly consumed in Mexico since pre-Columbian times. Some Capsicum species synthesize and accumulate anthocyanins in different tissues and organs. Although the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway has been established for different plant species, very few studies on anthocyanin chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology of these pigments produced by chili peppers have been reported. In this review we describe the information on the type of anthocyanins synthesized and accumulated in chili pepper, and also on the molecular biology of the biosynthetic pathway. Additionally, we discuss the ap- plications of current knowledge for the genetic manipulation, through genetic engineering, of this trait, and also the future anthocyanin-re- lated research areas in Capsicum.