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Swapping one red pigment for another

Nature Genetics volume 47, pages 5–6 (2015)Cite this article

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Betalains are bright red and yellow pigments, which are produced in only one order of plants, the Caryophyllales, and replace the more familiar anthocyanin pigments. The evolutionary origin of betalain production is a mystery, but a new study has identified the first regulator of betalain production and discovered a previously unknown link between the two pigment pathways.

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Figure 1: Pigmentation patterning due to betalains and anthocyanins.

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  1. Kevin M. Davies is at the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Ltd., Palmerston North, New Zealand.,

    Kevin M Davies

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  1. Kevin M Davies
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Correspondence to Kevin M Davies.

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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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Davies, K. Swapping one red pigment for another. Nat Genet 47, 5–6 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.3174

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