Phylogenetic and evolutionary patterns in microbial carotenoid biosynthesis are revealed by comparative genomics.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Carotenoids are multifunctional, taxonomically widespread and biotechnologically important pigments. Their biosynthesis serves as a model system for understanding the evolution of secondary metabolism. Microbial carotenoid diversity and evolution has hitherto been analyzed primarily from structural and biosynthetic perspectives, with the few phylogenetic analyses of microbial carotenoid biosynthetic proteins using either used limited datasets or lacking methodological rigor. Given the recent accumulation of microbial genome sequences, a reappraisal of microbial carotenoid biosynthetic diversity and evolution from the perspective of comparative genomics is warranted to validate and complement models of microbial carotenoid diversity and evolution based upon structural and

SUBMITTER: Klassen JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2889829 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature