PSY — Capsicum annuum

Summary

T459_11384 (PSY) on pepper chromosome 4 encodes a protein with squalene/phytoene synthase and has phytoene synthase activity (EC 2.5.1.32). The gene is associated with phytoene, capsanthin, carotene and triterpenoid anabolism, pigment accumulation, leaf formation, and responses to UV-A. It localises to plastids, etioplasts, chromoplast stroma, mitochondria and cytosol. PSY is linked to fruit carotenoid content and colour, fruit size and growth, chlorophyll content, anthocyanin content, flowering time, photosynthetic rate, respiration rate, seed maturation, cell elongation, drought tolerance, and abscisic acid synthesis. Studies of related genes in other species connect the family to lycopene accumulation, fruit pigmentation, virus resistance, cold and salt stress tolerance, thermotolerance, and provitamin A carotenoid content.