title: Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Daucus carota.
abstract: Carrot (Daucus carota) is one of the most important vegetable cultivated worldwide and the main source of dietary provitamin A. Contrary to other plants, almost all carrot varieties accumulate massive amounts of carotenoids in the root, resulting in a wide variety of colors, including those with purple, yellow, white, red and orange roots. During the first weeks of development the root, grown in darkness, is thin and pale and devoid of carotenoids. At the second month, the thickening of the root and the accumulation of carotenoids begins, and it reaches its highest level at 3 months of development. This normal root thickening and carotenoid accumulation can be completely altered when roots are grown in light, in which chromoplasts differentiation is redirected to chloroplasts development in accordance with an altered carotenoid profile. Here we discuss the current evidence on the biosynthesis of carotenoid in carrot roots in response to environmental cues that has contributed to our understanding of the mechanism that regulates the accumulation of carotenoids, as well as the carotenogenic gene expression and root development in D. carota.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerda
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile. cstange@uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stange
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018552:Daucus carota / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D006801:Humans; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018087:Plastids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids
keywords: Carrot; Gene expression; Plastid development; Root development; β-carotene