GGPP
IPP
DMAPP
GGPS
GA3P+Pyruvate
DXS
DXR
MEP pathway
15-cis-phytoene
9,15-di-cis-phytofluene
9,15,9’-tri-cis-ζ-carotoene
9,9’-di-cis-ζ-carotoene
prolycopene
All-trans-lycopene
α-carotene
β-carotene
PDS
PSY
ZDS
Z-ISO
CrtISO
PDS
LCYE/LCYB
LCYB
Carotenes
gibberellins
chlorophylls
tocppherols
plastoquinones
zeinoxanthin
zeaxanthin
antheraxanthin
violaxanthin
neoxanthin
Xanthophylls
lutein
BCH
CYP97A
ZEP
NXS
ZEP
VDE
VDE
CYP97C
β-cryptoxanthin
BCH
Fig. 1 Carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in plant. Carotene biosynthesis is shown in red box and xanthophyll
biosynthesis in yellow box. Dashed lines represent multiple steps. Enzymes are in bold font. GA3P glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, DXS 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase, DXR 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate
reductoisomerase, IPP isopentenyl diphosphate, DMAPP dimethylallyl diphosphate, GGPP geranylgeranyl diphosphate, GGPS geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase, PSY phytoene synthase, PDS phytoene desaturase, Z-ISO
ζ-carotene isomerase, CrtISO carotene isomerase, LCYB lycopene β-cyclase, LCYE lycopene ε-cyclase, CYP97A
cytochrome P450 carotene β-hydroxylase, CYP97C cytochrome P450 carotene ε-hydroxylase, BCH β-carotene
hydrolase, ZEP zeaxanthin epoxidase, VDE violaxanthin de-epoxidase, NXS neoxanthin synthase