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Dryad

A mechanism for red coloration in vertebrates

Cite this dataset

Toomey, Matthew et al. (2022). A mechanism for red coloration in vertebrates [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xsj3tx9j9

Abstract

Red coloration is a salient feature of the natural world. Many vertebrates produce red color by converting dietary yellow carotenoids into red ketocarotenoids via an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that two enzymes, cytochrome P450 2J19 (CYP2J19) and 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1-like (BDH1L), are sufficient to catalyze this conversion. In birds, both enzymes are expressed at sites of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis (feather follicles and red cone photoreceptors), and genetic evidence implicates these enzymes in yellow/red color variation in feathers. In fish, homologs of CYP2J19 and BDH1L are required for ketocarotenoid production, and we show that these enzymes are sufficient to produce ketocarotenoids in cell culture and when ectopically expressed in fish skin. Finally, we demonstrate that the red-cone-enriched tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39B (TTC39B) enhances ketocarotenoid production when co-expressed with CYP2J19 and BDH1L. The discovery of this mechanism of ketocarotenoid biosynthesis has major implications for understanding the evolution of color diversity in vertebrates.

Methods

Chromatograms and spectra were collected by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV-Vis DAD detection. Tissue carotenoid content was measured by HPLC. Tissue lipid content was measured with a Miura 200 analyzer with reagent kits (I.S.E. S.r.l.; Guidonia, Italy; A-R0100000901, A-R0200001301, and A-R0200001401).

Usage notes

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Funding

National Science Foundation, Award: IOS 2037739

National Eye Institute, Award: R01 EY030075

National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Award: NIH R35 GM122471

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Award: NIFA Hatch #W4122

National Cancer Institute, Award: P30 CA016058

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Award: CEECINST/00014/2018/CP1512/CT0002

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Award: 2020.01405.CEECIND/CP1601/CT0011

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Award: 2020.01494.CEECIND

European Research Council, Award: 101000504

Portuguese national funds Transitory Norm contract, Award: DL57/2016/CP1440/CT0006

Portuguese national funds Transitory Norm contract, Award: PD/BD/114042/2015

Portuguese national funds Transitory Norm contract, Award: SFRH/BD/147030/2019

Portuguese national funds Transitory Norm contract, Award: PD/BD/128492/2017