Transferases;
Transferring alkyl or aryl groups, other than methyl groups;
Transferring alkyl or aryl groups, other than methyl groups (only sub-subclass identified to date)
The enzyme, characterized from the bacterium Dietzia sp. CQ4 and the halophilic archaea Halobacterium salinarum and Haloarcula japonica, is bifunctional. It catalyses the elongation of the C40 carotenoid all-trans-lycopene by attaching an isoprene unit at C-2 as well as the hydroxylation of the previous end of the molecule. The enzyme acts at both ends of the substrate, and combined with the action of EC 1.3.99.37, 1-hydroxy-2-isopentenylcarotenoid 3,4-desaturase, it forms the C50 carotenoid dihydrobisanhydrobacterioruberin. cf. EC 2.5.1.149, lycopene elongase/hydratase (flavuxanthin-forming).
