The mechanism of cyclization in carotenoid biosynthesis

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Project objective

One of the fundamental reactions of carotenoid biosynthesis is cyclization, for example of lycopene to beta-carotene. The accepted mechanism involves initial proton attack on the terminal double bond, ring closure and stabilization by proton loss from C-6, i.e. no change in oxidation level. Recent work has shown that the cyclase has an NADPH- binding site and NADPH is required for the cyclization of lycopene by the isolated enzyme. The mechanism of the reaction will be reexamined and the role of NADPH determined. Samples of NADPH labelled with 3H or 2H will be prepared and used to determine whether NADPH is involve directly in the cyclization and hydrogen incorporated from it into beta-carotene. Structural analogues of NADPH will be examined for inhibitory effects on cyclization, through competitive or non-competitive binding. The effects of modifying or deleting the NADPH-binding site region from the gene for the cyclase will be investigated.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• THE UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL · LIVERPOOLCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
• Not availableCity levelSpain

Links

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