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Tetraterpenes: Carotenoids

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Abstract

Carotenoids are C40-compounds consisting of eight isopentenylpyrophosphate units. More than 750 structurally defined carotenoids are found in nature. They are synthesized by oxygenic phototrophs (land plants, algae, and cyanobacteria), anoxygenic phototrophs (purple bacteria, green sulfur bacteria, green filamentous bacteria, and heliobacteria), some eubacteria, some archaea, and some fungi. Most of animals also contain carotenoids, which they obtain from foods. The type of carotenoid present depends on variation in carotenogenesis pathways, different characteristics of carotenogenesis enzymes, and the presence or absence of certain carotenogenesis genes. Some of the major carotenogenesis pathways have been elucidated, but some major and minor pathways remain unknown. These variations can be used for chemotaxonomical classifications of organisms. Here major carotenogenesis pathways, characteristics of enzymes and genes, and some biological functions of carotenoids are described.

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Abbreviations

BChl:

Bacteriochlorophyll

Chl:

Chlorophyll

DOXP:

1-Deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate

IPP:

Isopentenylpyrophosphate

MVA:

Mevalonate

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Acknowledgment

A part of this work was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (No. 24570115).

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  1. Department of Biology, Nippon Medical School, Kosugi-cho, Nakahara, Kawasaki, 211-0063, Japan

    Dr. Shinichi Takaichi

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  1. Dr. Shinichi Takaichi
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Correspondence to Shinichi Takaichi .

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  1. Botany Department, M.L. Sukhadia University, Durga Nursery Road, Udaipur, 313001, Rajasthan, India

    Kishan Gopal Ramawat

  2. Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences, Biological-Active Plant Substances Study, University of Bordeaux, 210 Chemin de Leysotte CS 50008, Villenave d'Ornon, 33882, France

    Jean-Michel Mérillon

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Takaichi, S. (2013). Tetraterpenes: Carotenoids. In: Ramawat, K., Mérillon, JM. (eds) Natural Products. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22144-6_141

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