LCY — Solanum lycopersicum

Summary

SlLCY (SOLYC04G040190.1) on tomato chromosome 4 encodes a lycopene cyclase with lycopene beta-cyclase, capsanthin synthase, capsorubin synthase and neoxanthin synthase activities, and belongs to the lycopene cyclase b/e and FAD/NAD-binding superfamilies. The gene is associated with carotenoid and lycopene breakdown, zeaxanthin, phytoene and beta-zeacarotene anabolism, the xanthophyll cycle, and regulation of isoprenoid metabolism. It localises to chromoplast and chloroplast membranes and plastids. SlLCY is linked to numerous fruit traits including color, weight, size, shape, firmness, growth and development, as well as beta-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin, neoxanthin and xanthophyll content, leaf and root color, stem weight, flowering time, plant height, biomass, ethylene sensitivity, respiration rate, quantum yield, and abscisic acid, sugar, sucrose, nitrate, proline, amino acid and protein content. Studies of related genes in carrot link the family to yield, biomass production, photosynthetic efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance and salt tolerance.