PSY — Capsicum annuum

Summary

T459_05960 (PSY2) on pepper chromosome 2 encodes a protein with phytoene synthase activity (EC 2.5.1.32), squalene synthase activity, dimethylallyltransferase activity, farnesyltranstransferase activity, and protein binding, and belongs to the isoprenoid synthase domain superfamily. The gene is associated with carotenoid, capsanthin and isoprenoid anabolism, pigment accumulation, chromoplast organization, de-etiolation, and response to stress. It has been linked to fruit carotenoid content and color, abscisic acid synthesis, drought tolerance, chloroplast development, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, flowering time, and cell elongation. The encoded protein localizes to plastids, etioplasts, chromoplast stroma, mitochondria, cytosol and nucleus. Studies of related genes in other species connect the PSY family to lycopene accumulation, fruit pigmentation, virus resistance, cold stress tolerance, thermotolerance, and seed germination.