Apocarotenoids are widely distributed among living organisms (bacteria, fungi, algae, plants and even animals) and have been associated with several signaling functions. These compounds are generated by the activity of carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs), whose diversity greatly contributes to the large number of apocarotenoids that have been described so far. It is nevertheless expected that a considerable diversity of these molecules is yet to be discovered. In this work, we describe the isolation and structural elucidation of the apocarotenoid 4-oxo-β-apo-13-carotenone from the cultured freshwater cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica PCC 7122, corresponding to the first report of this compound from natural sources.
Keywords: CCD; apocarotenoids; cyanobacteria; natural products.
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