Metabolic engineering of astaxanthin production in tobacco flowers

Varda Mann, Mark Harker, Iris Pecker, Joseph Hirschberg*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

203 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using metabolic engineering, we have modified the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) to produce astaxanthin, a red pigment of considerable economic value. To alter the carotenoid pathway in chromoplasts of higher plants, the cDNA of the gene CrtO from the alga Haematococcus pluvialis, encoding β-carotene ketolase, was transferred to tobacco under the regulation of the tomato Pds (phytoene desaturase) promoter. The transit peptide of PDS from tomato was used to target the CRTO polypeptide to the plastids. Chromoplasts in the nectary tissue of transgenic plants accumulated (3S,3'S) astaxanthin and other ketocarotenoids, changing the color of the nectary from yellow to red. This accomplishment demonstrates that plants can be used as a source of novel carotenoid pigments such as astaxanthin. The procedures described in this work can serve as a platform technology for future genetic manipulations of pigmentation of fruits and flowers of horticultural and floricultural importance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)888-892
Number of pages5
JournalNature Biotechnology
Volume18
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000

Keywords

  • Cartenoid biosynthesis
  • Chromoplasts
  • Isoprenoids
  • Nectary
  • Plant biotechnology
  • Protein import
  • Transit peptide

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