Carotenoids drive chromoplast development

Plant Biochemistry Carotenoid-rich cellular structures called chromoplasts are a source of the rich reds and yellows in the fruits and flowers of plants. Similar to green, photosynthetic chloroplasts, chromoplasts derive from plastids but are distinct in structure and development. Llorente et al. found that expressing an enzyme in leaf chloroplasts that causes enrichment of the carotenoid precursor phytoene disrupted photosynthesis and led to structural changes consistent with chloroplast-to-chromoplast differentiation. This intervention may mimic natural cues for chromoplast development and could be a route to increasing the carotenoid content of green vegetables. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117 , 21796 (2020).