Description

Carotenoids are the most important isoprenoids responsible for yellow, orange and red colors found in nature. In plants, they are synthesized in plastids of photosynthetic and sink organs and are essential molecules in hormone synthesis, photosynthesis and in photoprotection.

Carotenoids also play important roles in human health and nutrition acting as health-promoting metabolites and vitamin A precursors. Molecular and biochemical approaches in different plant models have provided significant advances in understanding the functional roles of carotenoids in several plants as well as the key points of regulation in their biosynthesis. Among several enzymes, phytoene synthase (PSY) has been described to be the key point of regulation. The expression of PSY-encoding genes is activated by abiotic stress, development and light, and the enzyme is degraded by the Clp protease complex and stabilized by the OR protein. In particular, light regulates the expression of PSY and other key genes in carotenoid synthesis but also modulates plastid differentiation, hence influencing carotenoid synthesis, accumulation and stability.

The molecular insights gained into the light-regulated expression of carotenoid genes, as well as on plastid transition, will facilitate our understanding on the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis during plant development. This Research Topics is therefore focused on mechanisms underlying the regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis, and storage (plastid differentiation) by light and other factors. All types of articles are welcome: Original Research, Review, Perspective, and Hypothesis and Theory articles in both model and non-model plant species, specifically on the following areas:

- Light in carotenoid synthesis regulation
- Light effects on plastid transition
- Plant development and carotenoids
- Plastid transition and carotenoids