Part:BBa_K1783005

Epsilon Hydroxylase

A. thaliana epsilon hydroxylase catalyzes the hydroxylation of the two epsilon rings on alpha carotene, yielding the carotenoid lutein.

Epsilon hydroxylase functions as the final step in a series of enzymatic reactions converting lycopene to lutein, a molecule shown to delay the onset and lessen the symptoms of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. In concert with crtE, crtI, and crtB, which redirect the mevalonate pathway to produce lycopene, epsilon and beta cyclases and hydroxylases catalyze a series of four reactions to produce the two hydroxylated rings that differentiate lutein from lycopene.