Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Annotation of Plant Gene Function via Combined Genomics, Metabolomics and Informatics
Published on: June 17, 2012
Progress in understanding the origin and functions of carotenoid hydroxylases in plants
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Abstract:
The dihydroxy xanthophylls lutein (beta,epsilon-carotene-3,3'-diol) and zeaxanthin (beta,beta-carotene-3,3'-diol) are well known for their critical roles in photosystem structure and adaptation of plants to high light stress. As a group, carotenoid hydroxylases catalyze the formation of lutein and zeaxanthin from their corresponding cyclic carotene precursors. Carotenoid beta-ring hydroxylases (beta-hydroxylases) have been isolated and characterized from various organisms and have invariably been shown to be non-heme di-iron monooxygenases. The presence of an epsilon-ring specific hydroxylase (epsilon-hydroxylase) was genetically demonstrated by isolation of mutants at the LUT1 locus in Arabidopsis. This review focuses on progress in understanding the molecular and biochemical nature of the epsilon-hydroxylase and the in vivo overlapping functions of the various carotenoid beta- and epsilon-hydroxylases in Arabidopsis.
Related Concept Videos
C4 Pathway and CAM
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light
The Calvin Benson Cycle
Loss of Carboxy Group as CO2: Decarboxylation of β-Ketoacids
Radical Autoxidation
Cell Signaling in Plants

