Carotenoid and Isoprenoid Biotechnology

Plant isoprenoids are metabolites with many applications as phytonutrients and a source of materials and energy. In plastids, isoprenoids derive from the MEP pathway. We are using forward and reverse genetic as well as biochemical approaches to understand how plants regulate the metabolic flux through the MEP pathway and the cross-talk with downstream pathways for the production of isoprenoid end-products, with a main focus on carotenoids Carotenoids protect the photosynthetic apparatus against excess light. Their economic interest is mainly based on their use as natural pigments for food and cosmetic industries, but they are also nutritionally important as vitamin A precursors and promoters of human health. We aim to unveil the molecular mechanisms that regulate plant carotenogenesis and apply this information in the search of new plant varieties enriched in these important metabolites.