Regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis during fruit maturation in the red-fleshed orange mutant Cara Cara

Cara Cara is a spontaneous mutant of Navel orange (Citrus sinensis) with a red pulp due to the presence of lycopene. The comparative analysis of the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) and carotenoid biosynthetic pathways in Navel and Cara Cara fruits during maturation revealed an enhanced expression of MEP genes in Cara Cara pulp that could result in an elevation of early carotenes in the mutant.