RT Journal Article
T1 Isolation and Characterization of a Lycopene ε-Cyclase Gene of Chlorella (Chromochloris) zofingiensis. Regulation of the Carotenogenic Pathway by Nitrogen and Light
A1 Cordero, Baldo F.
A1 Couso Liañez, Inmaculada
A1 León Bañares, Rosa María
A1 Rodríguez, Herminia
A1 Vargas, María Ángeles
AB The isolation and characterization of the lycopene ε-cyclase gene from the greenmicroalga Chlorella (Chromochloris) zofingiensis (Czlcy-e) was performed. This gene isinvolved in the formation of the carotenoids α-carotene and lutein. Czlcy-e gene encoded apolypeptide of 654 amino acids. A single copy of Czlcy-e was found in C. zofingiensis.Functional analysis by heterologous complementation in Escherichia coli showed theability of this protein to convert lycopene to δ-carotene. In addition, the regulation of thecarotenogenic pathway by light and nitrogen was also studied in C. zofingiensis. Highirradiance stress did not increase mRNA levels of neither lycopene β-cyclase gene (lcy-b)nor lycopene ε-cyclase gene (lcy-e) as compared with low irradiance conditions, whereasthe transcript levels of psy, pds, chyB and bkt genes were enhanced, nevertheless triggeringthe synthesis of the secondary carotenoids astaxanthin, canthaxanthin and zeaxanthin anddecreasing the levels of the primary carotenoids α-carotene, lutein, violaxanthin andβ-carotene. Nitrogen starvation per se enhanced mRNA levels of all genes considered,except lcy-e and pds, but did not trigger the synthesis of astaxanthin, canthaxanthin norzeaxanthin. The combined effect of both high light and nitrogen starvation stressesenhanced significantly the accumulation of these carotenoids as well as the transcript levelsof bkt gene, as compared with the effect of only high irradiance stress.
PB MDPI
SN 1660-3397
YR 2012
FD 2012-09
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10272/18230
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10272/18230
LA eng
NO Cordero, B. F., Couso Liañez, I., León Bañares, R., Rodríguez, H., & Vargas, M. A. (2012). Isolation and Characterization of a Lycopene ε-Cyclase Gene of Chlorella (Chromochloris) zofingiensis. Regulation of the Carotenogenic Pathway by Nitrogen and Light. Marine Drugs, 10(12), 2069–2088. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3390/md10092069
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 31 may 2026