Caroteniods are commercially important pigments and play an important role in human lives. Phytoene synthase is a crucial enzyme in carotenoid biosynthetic pathway and catalyzes the conversion of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, which gives rise to 15-cis-phytoene. In this study we catalogue the diversity in phytoene synthase genes and discuss its molecular implications. Our analysis shows that though there is similarity in some of the biochemical/biophysical parameters of the proteins coded by phytoene synthase genes, there are significant differences with respect to a number of other parameters. All these parameters when correlated with the data on carotenoid content can be used for genetic engineering, particularly in creating a library of genes with differing characteristics but high carotenoid content which will ultimately be useful in creating a diverse genetic base for these genes.
Computational analysis, gene coding, diversity, pytoene synthase, plants
