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Metabolism of cyclic carotenoids: a model for the alteration of this biosynthetic pathway in Capsicum annuum chromoplasts
Author(s) -
Hugueney Philippe,
Badillo Alfredo,
Chen HsuChing,
Klein Annelyse,
Hirschberg Joseph,
Camara Bilal,
Kuntz Marcel
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-313x.1995.08030417.x
Subject(s) - chromoplast , carotenoid , lycopene , biochemistry , enzyme , biology , complementary dna , escherichia coli , phytoene synthase , chloroplast , biosynthesis , plastid , gene
The biosynthetic pathway of cyclic carotenoid is known to be quantitatively and qualitatively different in the non‐green plastids of Capsicum annuum fruits compared with chloroplasts. Here, the cloning is described of a novel cDNA from this organism, which encodes an enzyme catalyzing the cyclization of lycopene to β‐carotene when expressed in Escherichia coli . The corresponding gene is constitutively expressed during fruit development. Significant amino acid sequence identity was observed between this enzyme and capsanthin/capsorubin synthase which is involved in the synthesis of the species‐specific red carotenoids of C. annuum fruits. The latter enzyme was found also to possess a lycopene β‐cyclase activity when expressed in E. coli . A model is proposed for the origin of the capsanthin/capsorubin synthase gene and the role of this enzyme, together with the newly cloned lycopene cyclase, in the specific re‐channeling of linear carotenoids into β‐cyclic carotenoids in C. annuum ripening fruits.