ZDS — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

Summary

BoZDS (ZDS, SPC1, PDE181) on cauliflower chromosome 5 encodes a zeta-carotene desaturase, a FAD/NAD-binding oxidoreductase with 9,9'-di-cis-zeta-carotene desaturase and phytoene dehydrogenase activities. The enzyme is associated with carotene, lycopene and carotenoid anabolism, and is linked to abscisic acid biosynthesis, chloroplast development, photoprotection, retrograde signalling, and plant growth and development. It has been connected to response to herbicide, protein homotetramerization, and nitric oxide storage. The protein localises to the chloroplast thylakoid, chloroplast envelope, and membrane. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to carotenoid biosynthesis and pigment-defective embryo phenotypes, while sequence similarity associations extend to flower and leaf colour, carotenoid content, transpiration rate, stomatal resistance, chlorophyll content, photochemical quenching, and root morphology traits.