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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #397195
Research Project: Genetics, Epigenetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology for Fruit and Vegetable Quality

Location: Plant, Soil and Nutrition Research

Title: Phytoene synthase: the key rate-limiting enzyme of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants

Author
item ZHOU, XUESONG - Cornell University
item RAO, SOMBIR - Cornell University
item WRIGHTSTONE, EMALEE - Cornell University
item LUI, ANDY - Cornell University
item WELSCH, RALF - Cornell University
item Li, Li

Submitted to: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2022
Publication Date: 4/12/2022
Citation: Zhou, X., Rao, S., Wrightstone, E., Lui, A., Welsch, R., Li, L. 2022. Phytoene synthase: the key rate-limiting enzyme of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants. Frontiers in Plant Science. 13:884720. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.884720.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.884720

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Phytoene synthase (PSY) catalyzes the first committed step in the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway and is a major rate-limiting enzyme of carotenogenesis. PSY is highly regulated by various regulators and factors to modulate carotenoid biosynthesis in response to diverse developmental and environmental cues. Because of its critical role in controlling the total amount of synthesized carotenoids, PSY has been extensively investigated and engineered in plant species. However, much remains to be learned on its multifaceted regulatory control and its catalytic efficiency for carotenoid enrichment in crops. Here, we present current knowledge on the basic biology, the functional evolution, the dynamic regulation, and the metabolic engineering of PSY. We also discuss the open questions and gaps to stimulate additional research on this most studied gene/enzyme in the carotenogenic pathway.