Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Anatomy of Chloroplasts

The Anatomy of Chloroplasts

Green algae and plants, including green stems and unripe fruit, harbor specialized organelles called chloroplasts to carry out photosynthesis. They coordinate both stages of photosynthesis — the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions. The light-dependent reactions use sunlight to release oxygen and produce chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH, and the light-independent reactions capture CO2 and use ATP and NADPH to produce sugar.
Structure of Chloroplasts
A...

Non-vascular Seedless Plants

Non-vascular Seedless Plants

The diverse plant life on Earth—consisting of nearly 400,000 species—can be divided into three broad categories based on biological characteristics: nonvascular, seedless vascular, and seed plants.

Pigmentation

Pigmentation

The color of the skin is influenced by a number of pigments, including melanin, carotene, and hemoglobin. Recall that melanin is produced by cells called melanocytes, which are found scattered throughout the stratum basale of the epidermis. The melanin is transferred to the keratinocytes via melanosomes.
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...

Introduction to Plant Diversity

Introduction to Plant Diversity

From Water to Land

C4 Pathway and CAM

C4 Pathway and CAM

Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Polyploidy and stress.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Plant Species Extinction and Opportunities for De-extinction.

The Journal of heredity·2026

Same author

A haplotype-resolved, chromosome-scale genome assembly and annotation for Carya glabra (pignut hickory; Juglandaceae).

G3 (Bethesda, Md.)·2026

Same author

Replicated repurposing of an ancestral transcriptional complex in land plants.

Current biology : CB·2026

Same author

PLANeT: Understanding and leveraging the genome of land plants for a sustainable future.

Cell·2026

Same author

DNA-based identification of plants and the genomic nature of plant species differences.

Communications biology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii

Published on: November 9, 2016

Complex pigment evolution in the Caryophyllales.

Samuel F Brockington¹, Rachel H Walker, Beverley J Glover

¹Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. sb771@cam.ac.uk

The New Phytologist

|June 30, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Betalains, unique plant pigments in Caryophyllales, replace anthocyanins. Research suggests pigment evolution is complex, with potential multiple origins of betalains and anthocyanin loss via gene regulation.

More Related Videos

In Vitro Reconstitution of Light-harvesting Complexes of Plants and Green Algae

In Vitro Reconstitution of Light-harvesting Complexes of Plants and Green Algae

Published on: October 10, 2014

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Published on: February 26, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii

A Method for Extracting Pigments from Squid Doryteuthis pealeii

Published on: November 9, 2016

In Vitro Reconstitution of Light-harvesting Complexes of Plants and Green Algae

In Vitro Reconstitution of Light-harvesting Complexes of Plants and Green Algae

Published on: October 10, 2014

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Determination of Photoreceptor Cell Spectral Sensitivity in an Insect Model from In Vivo Intracellular Recordings

Published on: February 26, 2016

Area of Science:

Plant biology
Evolutionary biology
Biochemistry

Background:

Flowering plants utilize carotenoids and flavonoids (e.g., anthocyanins) for vital functions.
The Caryophyllales order uniquely features betalain pigments, replacing anthocyanins in certain families.
The restricted distribution and mutual exclusion of betalains and anthocyanins have long been debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate hypotheses explaining the phylogenetic restriction of betalains.
To integrate new phylogenetic and genetic data into the understanding of pigment evolution in Caryophyllales.
To identify key research questions and future directions in plant pigment evolution.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic analyses of Caryophyllales to understand pigment evolution.
Comparative genetic studies to explore mechanisms of pigment switching.
Reconstruction of character evolution to infer pigment transitions.

Main Results:

Phylogenetic analyses reveal gaps in early pigment evolution knowledge and suggest high lability.
Character evolution reconstructions indicate multiple switches between betalain and anthocyanin pigmentation, and possible multiple betalain origins.
Comparative genetics points to transcriptional down-regulation of enzymes as a mechanism for anthocyanin loss.

Conclusions:

Plant pigment evolution in Caryophyllales is more dynamic than previously thought.
Understanding betalain and anthocyanin evolution requires integrating phylogenetic and genetic data.
Future research should focus on early evolutionary events and genetic mechanisms driving pigment diversification.