Carotenoid sequestration in plants: the role of carotenoid-associated proteins

In plants, carotenoid accumulation and sequestration take place within chlo roplasts and chromoplasts. In the chloroplast, practically all carotenoids are associated with chlorophyll-binding proteins, whereas chromoplasts have developed a unique mechanism to sequester carotenoids within specific lipo protein structures. Recent research into the existence of a group of homolo gous genes that encode carotenoid-associated proteins that aid in the gener ation of carotenoid-lipoprotein structures in chromoplasts, offers a new fr amework for elucidating the carotenoid sequestration mechanism.