Genes introduced in Golden rice include:
Development of Golden Rice elegantly reduced complex plant carotenoid desaturation steps to two transgenes. Phytoene synthase psy catalyzes committed head-to-head condensation of two geranylgeranyl diphosphate GGPP molecules to colorless 15-cis-phytoene, rate limiting step strongly regulated by light and feedback. Phytoene requires four desaturation steps and isomerization to become all-trans lycopene red pigment. Higher plants use phytoene desaturase, zeta-carotene desaturase, carotene isomerase ZDS, CRTISO separately. Bacterial crtI from Erwinia uredovora performs all reactions in single pol
Ref: Beyer et al. J Nutr 2002 Golden Rice pathway; NCBI Metabolic pathway psy crtI mechanism.
