A tomato gene expressed during fruit ripening encodes an enzyme of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway.
In the initial stages of carotenoid biosynthesis in plants the enzyme phytoene synthase converts two molecules of geranylgeranyl diphosphate into phytoene, the first carotenoid of the pathway. We show here that a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) cDNA for a gene (Psy1) expressed during fruit ripening directs the in vitro synthesis of a 47-kDa protein which, upon import into isolated chloroplasts, is processed to a mature 42-kDa form. The imported protein is largely associated with membranes, but it can be easily solubilized by dilution or by treatment at high pH. A plasmid construct containing prokaryotic promoter and ribosome-binding sequences fused to the Psy1 cDNA complements the carotenoidless phenotype of a Rhodobacter capsulatus crtB mutant. We conclude that Psy1 encodes phytoene synthase and that this enzyme is a peripheral plastid membrane protein.
Bartley
G E
GE
Central Research and Development, Du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Delaware 19880-0402.
Viitanen
P V
PV
Bacot
K O
KO
Scolnik
P A
PA
D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000201:enzymology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005638:Fruit; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D017343:Genes, Plant; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D008025:Ligases / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D051232:Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase; D008025:Ligases