Review
Plant Sciences
Xiongjie Zheng, Yu Yang, Salim Al-Babili
Summary: Carotenoids in plants undergo enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions to produce various apocarotenoids, which play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stimuli. These apocarotenoids also contribute to the color and flavor of flowers and fruits, with some utilized in food and cosmetic industries and possessing health-promoting properties.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sepalika Bandara, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Sanae Imanishi, Linda D. Thomas, Onkar B. Sawant, Yoshikazu Imanishi, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: This study unravels the biochemical basis for intracellular carotenoid transport and implicates Aster-B in the pathway for macula pigment concentration in the human retina.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chunzhen Cheng, Rui Yang, Lu Yin, Jianying Zhang, Limin Gao, Rong Lu, Yan Yang, Pengfei Wang, Xiaopeng Mu, Shuai Zhang, Bin Zhang, Jiancheng Zhang
Summary: Carotenoid cleavage oxygenases (CCOs) were identified and characterized in Cerasus humilis. Nine CCO genes were classified into six subfamilies, and showed diverse expression patterns in different organs and ripening stages of fruits. Enzyme assays and gas chromatography/mass spectrometer analysis revealed that ChCCD1 can cleave lycopene and beta-carotene to produce specific apocarotenoids, while ChCCD4 does not have similar functions.
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yan Wang, Shiyi Gan, Chenglong Luo, Sijia Liu, Jie Ma, Wei Luo, Chuxiao Lin, Dingming Shu, Hao Qu
Summary: The deposition of carotenoids in chicken skin turns the skin color from white to yellow, and the enzyme beta-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) plays a key role in this process. The concentration of carotenoids in chicken skin was measured, and significant differences in BCO2 gene expression and one SNP c.890A>G in BCO2 were found to be potentially associated with chicken skin color. The c.890A>G may be used as a genetic marker for breeding yellow skin in Chinese indigenous chickens.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ressin Varghese, Tinamoni Buragohain, Ishani Banerjee, Rishyani Mukherjee, Shraddha Naresh Penshanwar, Swapna Agasti, Siva Ramamoorthy
Summary: Carotenoids are a wide range of natural pigments that exhibit various colors from red to orange. Apocarotenoids, derived from carotenoids, function as hormones, pigments, retinoids, and volatiles in industries such as textiles, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food. Microbes like Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli are utilized as heterologous hosts to produce apocarotenoids. This article provides a brief review of apocarotenoid categories, their biosynthetic pathway starting from MVA and MEP, their significance, tool enzymes like CCDs for apocarotenoid biosynthesis, biotechnological production in microbial factories, and future perspectives.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jie Zhang, Liheng He, Jingjing Dong, Cailiang Zhao, Ruimin Tang, Xiaoyun Jia
Summary: Salt and dehydration stress significantly induced the expression of sweet potato IbCCD4. Overexpression of IbCCD4 reduced salt tolerance in Arabidopsis, possibly through regulating carotenoid metabolic pathway and antioxidant enzyme activity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gianfranco Diretto, Alberto Jose Lopez-Jimenez, Oussama Ahrazem, Sarah Frusciante, Jingyuan Song, Angela Rubio-Moraga, Lourdes Gomez-Gomez
Summary: The biosynthesis of crocetin in Buddleja davidii flowers involves a specific pathway catalyzed by carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases and subsequent reactions. Different crocins and carotenoid precursors accumulate in parallel with tissue development, with gene expression patterns mimicking crocin accumulation. Comparative analysis among different plant species highlights distinct differences in crocin accumulation and apocarotenoid synthesis.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Alice Stra, Lamyaa O. Almarwaey, Yagiz Alagoz, Juan C. Moreno, Salim Al-Babili
Summary: Carotenoids are natural pigments produced by plants, algae, bacteria, and microorganisms, playing essential roles in light-harvesting and protecting the photosynthetic apparatus. They are also precursors of important metabolites like vitamin A and phytohormones. Genetic engineering and metabolic engineering have been used to enhance carotenoid content and production, with recent advances including CRISPR technologies and viral vectors. Manipulating carotenoid biosynthesis can improve crop yield and growth, making it an important target for crop improvements. This article provides an overview of carotenoid biosynthesis and discusses the latest advances in synthetic carotenoid metabolism in plants and microorganisms.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Ophthalmology
Johannes von Lintig, Jean Moon, Darwin Babino
Summary: The photochemistry of vision involves opsins and the isomerization of their retinylidine chromophores. Different animal classes use distinct G proteins to regulate the photoreceptor membranes. Vertebrates utilize retinoic acid as a ligand for nuclear hormone receptors, while obtaining carotenoids from diet and metabolizing them. Recent advancements have led to a better understanding of carotenoid metabolism and its impact on ocular pathologies.
PROGRESS IN RETINAL AND EYE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sepalika Bandara, Jean Moon, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: The study showed that ASTER-B protein plays a key role in the nonvesicular transport of zeaxanthin to mitochondria, different from the vesicular transport process. Inhibition of cholesterol uptake enhances the transport of zeaxanthin to mitochondria.
JOURNAL OF LIPID RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Zhipeng Qi, Xinyi Tong, Yangyang Zhang, Shutong Jia, Xianying Fang, Linguo Zhao
Summary: This article discusses the sources and biosynthetic methods of C13-apocarotenoids. It focuses on various strategies to improve the performance of CCD1 and increase the conversion rate in microbial cell factories. The current challenges and future directions are also explored.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Yu-Han Zhao, Yuan-Jie Deng, Yuan-Hua Wang, Ying-Rui Lou, Ling-Feng He, Hui Liu, Tong Li, Zhi-Ming Yan, Jing Zhuang, Ai-Sheng Xiong
Summary: The study found that salt stress can stimulate the biosynthesis of carotenoids in carrots and different carrot cultivars have different responses to salt stress. The accumulation of carotenoids in the taproots of 'KRD' and 'BHJS' is mainly related to the variation in DcLCYE and DcCHXB1 transcripts.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Priya Sundararajan, Shanmuga Priya Ramasamy
Summary: This review provides insights into the production of carotenoids using microorganisms, summarizing the biosynthetic pathways involved in microbial synthesis and highlighting the production, extraction, and purification strategies. It aims to expedite the commercialization of microbial carotenoids.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rosa Us-Camas, Margarita Aguilar-Espinosa, Jacobo Rodriguez-Campos, Alba Adriana Vallejo-Cardona, Victor Manuel Carballo-Uicab, Hugo Serrano-Posada, Renata Rivera-Madrid
Summary: In this study, the activity of BoCCD enzymes in the biosynthesis of bixin aldehyde from lycopene in B. orellana was determined. It was also found that some BoCCD enzymes can oxidize bixin aldehyde to norbixin.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jianing Mi, Jose G. Vallarino, Ivan Petrik, Ondrej Novak, Sandra M. Correa, Monika Chodasiewicz, Michel Havaux, Manuel Rodriguez-Concepcion, Salim Al-Babili, Alisdair R. Fernie, Aleksandra Skirycz, Juan C. Moreno
Summary: By introducing a gene from the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway, profound metabolic alterations were induced in tomato cultivars, leading to increased yield, enhanced nutritional value, and improved tolerance to abiotic stress.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Ophthalmology
Johannes von Lintig, Jean Moon, Darwin Babino
Summary: The photochemistry of vision involves opsins and the isomerization of their retinylidine chromophores. Different animal classes use distinct G proteins to regulate the photoreceptor membranes. Vertebrates utilize retinoic acid as a ligand for nuclear hormone receptors, while obtaining carotenoids from diet and metabolizing them. Recent advancements have led to a better understanding of carotenoid metabolism and its impact on ocular pathologies.
PROGRESS IN RETINAL AND EYE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sepalika Bandara, Linda D. Thomas, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Nimesh Khadka, Philip D. Kiser, Marcin Golczak, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: The study reveals the important role of BCO2 in the metabolism of long chain beta-apocarotenoids, showing its ability to convert substrates into beta-ionone and diapocarotenoid products. Chain length variations and ionone ring site modifications do not affect BCO2's catalytic activity or the regioselectivity of double bond cleavage.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sepalika Bandara, Nathan C. Rockwell, Xiaoli Zeng, Zhong Ren, Cong Wang, Heewhan Shin, Shelley S. Martin, Marcus Moreno, J. Clark Lagarias, Xiaojing Yang
Summary: The study focused on the crystal structure of a far-red-sensing subfamily of CBCRs, revealing interactions between the protein and chromophore that lead to a bathochromic shift due to two distinct red-shift mechanisms.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Vipul M. Parmar, Ivy Samuels, Nathan A. Berger, Beata Jastrzebska, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: Deficiency of the retinol-binding protein receptor STRA6 in vertebrate eyes disrupts the biosynthesis of retinal pigment and visual pigments, leading to impaired vision and retinal degeneration. Maintaining the balance between chromophore and opsins in rod and cone photoreceptors is critical for optimal retinal function and preventing ocular pathologies associated with vitamin A deprivation.
HUMAN MOLECULAR GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Domino K. Schlegel, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Johannes von Lintig, Stephan C. F. Neuhauss
Summary: The study used homologous zebrafish models to investigate the pathological effects of RLBP1 gene mutations on retinal disorders. It revealed that the rlbp1a gene is essential for cone photoreceptor function and chromophore metabolism in fish eyes, while rlbp1b mutations do not impair vision.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jean Moon, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: Vitamin A is distributed in the body through two pathways: extrinsic and intrinsic. The deficiency of intestinal-specific homeodomain transcription factor (ISX) leads to increased utilization of vitamin A and its accumulation in peripheral tissues, which is dependent on the receptor STRA6 and induced by retinoid signaling. Hepatic reuptake takes place when excessive amounts of vitamin A circulate in the blood. These findings indicate dynamic crosstalk between the delivery pathways for vitamin A.
JOURNAL OF LIPID RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sepalika Bandara, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Sanae Imanishi, Linda D. Thomas, Onkar B. Sawant, Yoshikazu Imanishi, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: This study unravels the biochemical basis for intracellular carotenoid transport and implicates Aster-B in the pathway for macula pigment concentration in the human retina.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Vipul M. Parmar, Jean Moon, Chieh Lee, Patricia R. Taylor, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: Diabetes disrupts the function of photoreceptor and the homeostasis of vitamin A. In this study, researchers found that diabetes increased serum retinyl esters and superoxide levels in the eyes. Diabetes also caused significant alterations in liver and fat retinoid concentrations.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sepalika Bandara, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: Carotenoids play important roles in vision and are transported and metabolized by specific proteins. The Aster protein family has been found to be crucial in carotenoid metabolism.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sepalika Bandara, Jean Moon, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: The study showed that ASTER-B protein plays a key role in the nonvesicular transport of zeaxanthin to mitochondria, different from the vesicular transport process. Inhibition of cholesterol uptake enhances the transport of zeaxanthin to mitochondria.
JOURNAL OF LIPID RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Linda D. Thomas, Srinivasagan Ramkumar, Marcin Golczak, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigated the metabolism of zeaxanthin, a dietary pigment, in mice and its association with BCO2 and SR-B1 genes. They found that BCO2 is highly expressed in enterocytes and its deletion increases zeaxanthin accumulation. They also observed that SR-B1 expression and abiotic stress affect zeaxanthin metabolism.
MOLECULAR METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jean Moon, Gao Zhou, Eckhard Jankowsky, Johannes von Lintig
Summary: A major cause of childhood blindness is malnutrition and lack of vitamin A, but the molecular mechanisms behind retinal degeneration have not been well studied. In this research, the retinoid transporter STRA6 was found to play a crucial role in delaying the development of vitamin A deficiency in mouse eyes. Through RNA-seq analysis and physiological tests, it was revealed that mild vitamin A deficiency decreased the expression of genes related to photoreceptor function and increased oxidative stress pathways, leading to impaired visual sensitivity and accumulation of debris in the retina. Severe vitamin A deficiency not only affected visual perception but also altered cell morphology and disrupted the barrier function of the retinal pigment epithelium. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular events underlying nutritional blindness and highlights the importance of the outer blood-retinal barrier in retinal degeneration.