carotenoid

Examples of carotenoid in the following topics:

• Carotenoids and Phycobilins

  • To aid chlorophylls in the absorption of light not many photosynthetic organisms use carotenoids and phycobilins.
  • Notably are carotenoids and phycobilins.
  • Carotenoids can be produced from fats and other basic organic metabolic building blocks by all these organisms.
  • Carotenoids generally cannot be manufactured by species in the animal kingdom so animals obtain carotenoids in their diets, and may employ them in various ways in metabolism.There are over 600 known carotenoids; they are split into two classes, xanthophylls (which contain oxygen) and carotenes (which are purely hydrocarbons, and contain no oxygen).
  • Carotenoids in general absorb blue light.

• Absorption of Light

  • Pigments, like chlorophyll and carotenoids, absorb and reflect light at a certain region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
  • With dozens of different forms, carotenoids are a much larger group of pigments.
  • In photosynthesis, carotenoids function as photosynthetic pigments that are very efficient molecules for the disposal of excess energy.
  • Therefore, many carotenoids are stored in the thylakoid membrane to absorb excess energy and safely release that energy as heat.
  • Carotenoids absorb light in the blue-green and violet region and reflect the longer yellow, red, and orange wavelengths .

• Horizontal Gene Transfer

  • Aphids are insects that vary in color based on carotenoid content.
  • On the other hand, aphids have acquired the ability to make the carotenoids on their own.
  • A carotenoid enzyme called a desaturase is responsible for the red coloration seen in certain aphids.
  • (a) Red aphids get their color from red carotenoid pigment.
  • If genes for making carotenoids are inactivated by mutation, the aphids revert back to (b) their green color.

• Genomic Similiarities between Distant Species

  • Aphids are insects that vary in color based on carotenoid content.
  • Humans require carotenoids to synthesize vitamin A, and we obtain them by eating orange fruits and vegetables: carrots, apricots, mangoes, and sweet potatoes.
  • On the other hand, aphids have acquired the ability to make the carotenoids on their own.
  • (a) Red aphids get their color from red carotenoid pigment.
  • If genes for making carotenoids are inactivated by mutation, the aphids revert back to (b) their green color.

• Streptophytes and Reproduction of Green Algae

  • Green algae contain the same carotenoids and chlorophyll a and b as land plants, whereas other algae have different accessory pigments and types of chlorophyll molecules in addition to chlorophyll a.

• Sporophytes and Gametophytes in Seedless Plants

  • This complex substance is characterized by long chains of organic molecules related to fatty acids and carotenoids: hence the yellow color of most pollen.

• Lipids: Sources, Uses in the Body, and Dietary Requirements

  • Some dietary fat is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and carotenoids.

• Microbes and Ecosystem Niches

  • Even among photosynthetic bacteria, there are various species that contain different photosynthetic pigments (such as chlorophylls and carotenoids) that allow them to take advantage of different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum; therefore, even microbes with similar metabolic properties may inhabit unique niches.

• Extremely Halophilic Archaea

  • The red color of deep salterns is due to the carotenoids (organic pigment) in these archaea.

• Deinococcus and Thermus

  • They are also characterized by the presence of the carotenoid pigment Deinoxanthin that give them their pink color, and a high resistance to gamma and UV radiation.