title: Molecular characterization of carotenoid biosynthetic genes and carotenoid accumulation in Lycium chinense.
abstract: Lycium chinense is a shrub that has health benefits and is used as a source of medicines in Asia. In this study, a full-length cDNA clone encoding β-ring carotene hydroxylase (LcCHXB) and partial-length cDNA clones encoding phytoene synthase (LcPSY), phytoene desaturase (LcPDS), ξ-carotene desaturase (LcZDS), lycopene β-cyclase (LcLCYB), lycopene ε-cyclase (LcLCYE), ε-ring carotene hydroxylase (LcCHXE), zeaxanthin epoxidase (LcZEP), carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (LcCCD1), and 9-cis epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (LcNCED) were identified in L. chinense. The transcripts were constitutively expressed at high levels in leaves, flowers and red fruits, where the carotenoids are mostly distributed. In contrast, most of the carotenoid biosynthetic genes were weakly expressed in the roots and stems, which contained only small amounts of carotenoids. The level of LcLCYE transcripts was very high in leaves and correlated with the abundance of lutein in this plant tissue. During maturation, the levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in L. chinense fruits dramatically increased, concomitant with a rise in the level of β-cryptoxanthin. LcPSY, LcPDS, LcZDS, LcLCYB, and LcCHXE were highly expressed in red fruits, leading to their substantially higher total carotenoid content compared to that in green fruits. Total carotenoid content was high in both the leaves and red fruits of L. chinense. Our findings on the biosynthesis of carotenoids in L. chinense provide insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in carotenoid biosynthesis and may facilitate the optimization of carotenoid production in L. chinense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 79 Daehangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. zhaoshicheng@msn.com.
authors.forename: Shicheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 79 Daehangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. tuan_pham_6885@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Pham Anh
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Tuan
authors.affiliation: Division of Life Sciences, Incheon National University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 406-772, Korea. kjkpj@incheon.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jae Kwang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 79 Daehangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. harusarinamu@nate.com.
authors.forename: Woo Tae
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 79 Daehangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. yeonbokkim@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Yeon Bok
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. mvalanarasu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mariadhas Valan
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Arasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany and Microbiology, Addiriyah Chair for Environmental Studies, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Naif Abdullah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Dhabi
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China. yifan85831647@sina.com.
authors.forename: Jingli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China. chli0@163.com.
authors.forename: Cheng Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, 79 Daehangno, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-764, Korea. supark@cnu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Un
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D017343:Genes, Plant; D032305:Lycium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002338:Carotenoids
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