Application

Echinenone may be used as an external standard for the extraction of carotenoid from plasma samples. It may also been used as an internal standard, added to samples for extraction and quantification.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Echinenone binds to glocobacter rhodopsin and functions as a light harvesting antenna in Gloeobacter violaceous.

General description

Echinenone is a carotenoid with a conjugated carbonyl group. Echinenone (4-keto-β-carotene) is a monoketo compound, is an intermediate between β-carotene and canthaxanthin in animals. It is one of the major carotenoids of Anabaena sp., and also present in Micrococcus roseus. It is located in the thylakoid membrane of Anabaena. The conversion of β-carotene to echinenone is catalysed by CrtO, a β-carotene ketolase.