MOLECULAR-GENETICS OF THE CAROTENOID BIOSYNTHESIS PATHWAY IN PLANTS AND ALGAE

During recent years genes for more than 20 different carotenogenic enz ymes have been cloned from various organisms: bacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi, algae and plants. This accomplishment has provided new molecul ar tools to study the enzymes and yielded new information on their str ucture, function and regulation. We describe here the recent progress in the molecular genetics of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in pl ants. To date, the genes for almost all the enzymes, from the early st eps of the isoprenoid pathway to the predominant xanthophylls, have be en cloned. Their characterization had an immense impact on our underst anding of carotenoid biosynthesis at the molecular level.