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Biosynthesis of carotenoids

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Carotenoids in Photosynthesis

Abstract

The carotenoids that are found in the photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes of higher plants, algae and phototrophic bacteria, including cyanobacteria, are C40 tetraterpenes. They are biosynthesised by a specialised branch of the isoprenoid or terpenoid pathway which is also used for the biosynthesis of a wide variety of other important compounds. All isoprenoid compounds are built up from the C5 “isoprene unit” the carbon skeleton of which is clearly seen in the important intermediate isopentenyl diphosphate (IDP). A series of diphosphate intermediates with carbon chains consisting of multiples of five carbon atoms is then built up from this isoprene unit intermediate. In the first step of this process, IDP undergoes a double bond isomerisation to give dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP). The prenyl transferase enzymes then build up the isoprenoid chain from these two intermediates. The first condensation, between DMADP and IDP, gives the C10 compound geranyl diphosphate (GDP), which is the precursor of monoterpenes. Further additions of IDP then extend the chain to produce, successively, the Cl5 farnesyl diphosphate (FDP), precursor to the sesquiterpenes, triterpenes and sterols, and the C20 geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGDP), which gives rise to the carotenoids and to the diterpenes including phytol, which provides the isoprenoid sidechain of the chlorophylls and, in most cases, the bacteriochlorophylls. The general outline of the isoprenoid pathway, illustrating the biosynthesis of carotenoids in relation to that of other isoprenoid compounds, is given in Fig. 4.1

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  1. G. Britton
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological and Earth Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK

    Andrew J. Young

  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Liverpool, PO Box 147, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK

    George Britton

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Britton, G. (1993). Biosynthesis of carotenoids. In: Young, A.J., Britton, G. (eds) Carotenoids in Photosynthesis. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2124-8_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-2124-8_4

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