Carotenoid-derived pigments: from pathway dissection to metabolic engineering for production in heterologous systems
Author(s)
Date Issued
2024
Type
conferenceObject
Abstract
Carotenoids are precursors of apocarotenoids, metabolites that display different important function in plant physiology and plant-environment interactions such as hormones, pollinators attraction, defense against pathogens and herbivores, and interaction with the rhizosphere.
Some apocarotenoids are pigments that accumulate in specific organs, tissues, or compartments of different plant species. In addition to being highly demanded food colorant, apocarotenoid pigments present interesting bioactivities for the cosmetic, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.
Crocins are valuable glucosylated apocarotenoids present in flowers and fruits of a few plant species, including Crocus (saffron and related wild species), Gardenia, Buddleja and Verbascum; bixin is a methylated apocarotenoid, globally used as a food colorant, that accumulates in the seeds of the tropical plant Bixa orellana; ditaxin and heteranthin are “new” apocarotenoids found in the seeds of Ditaxis heteranta that have several culinary uses.
We have identified the enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of saffron apocarotenoids and in their subcellular compartmentalization, as well as orthologues in other plant species capable of accumulating crocins or other pigmented apocarotenoids. Through metabolic engineering approaches, the biosynthetic pathway of saffron apocarotenoids has been reproduced in heterologous organisms such as tobacco and tomato plants and yeast cells. Our research is focused on i) the biotechnological production of these apocarotenoids in safe and edible organisms, grown in controlled and standardized environments, with reduced production costs and continuous availability of material; ii) bioprospecting activities to found new species that accumulate interesting apocarotenoid; iii) the increase of bioactivity of the apocarotenoids produced in host systems.
Conference(s)
International Conference on Plant Biology (24th SPPS Meeting)