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[[File:Grand prismatic spring.jpg|thumb|The orange ring surrounding [[Grand Prismatic Spring]] is due to carotenoid molecules, produced by [[microbial mat|mats]] of [[cyanobacteria]] and other [[bacteria]].]]
'''Carotenoids''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ə|ˈ|r|ɒ|t|ɪ|n|ɔɪ|d}}), also called '''tetraterpenoids''', are yellow, orange, and red [[organic compound|organic]] [[pigment]]s that are produced by [[plant]]s and [[algae]], as well as several bacteria, and [[Fungus|fungi]].<ref name="lpi">{{cite web|publisher=Micronutrient Information Center, Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University|url=http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/carotenoids/|title=Carotenoids| date=1 August 2016|access-date=17 April 2019}}</ref> Carotenoids give the characteristic color to [[pumpkin]]s, [[carrot]]s, [[parsnip]]s, [[maize|corn]], [[tomato]]es, [[Domestic Canary|canaries]], [[flamingo]]s, [[salmon]], [[lobster]], [[shrimp]], and [[daffodil]]s.<ref name="lpi" /> Carotenoids can be produced from [[Lipid|fats]] and other basic organic metabolic building blocks by all these organisms. The only land dwelling [[arthropod]]s known to produce carotenoids are [[aphid]]s, and [[spider mite]]s, which acquired the ability and genes from fungi.<ref name="pmid20431015">{{cite journal| author=Moran NA, Jarvik T| title=Lateral transfer of genes from fungi underlies carotenoid production in aphids. | journal=Science | year= 2010 | volume= 328 | issue= 5978 | pages= 624–7 | pmid=20431015 | doi=10.1126/science.1187113 | bibcode=2010Sci...328..624M | s2cid=14785276 }}</ref><ref name=pmid21920958>{{Cite journal |author1=Boran Altincicek |author2=Jennifer L. Kovacs |author3=Nicole M. Gerardo |year=2011 |title=Horizontally transferred fungal carotenoid genes in the two-spotted spider mite ''Tetranychus urticae'' |journal=[[Biology Letters]] |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=253–257 |doi=10.1098/rsbl.2011.0704 |pmid=21920958 |pmc=3297373 }}</ref><ref name="pmid21878683">{{cite journal| author=Nováková E, Moran NA| title=Diversification of genes for carotenoid biosynthesis in aphids following an ancient transfer from a fungus. | journal=Mol Biol Evol | year= 2012 | volume= 29 | issue= 1 | pages= 313–23 | pmid=21878683 | doi=10.1093/molbev/msr206 }}</ref> It is also produced by [[Endosymbiont|endosymbiotic]] bacteria in [[Whitefly|whiteflies]].<ref name="pmid22977066">{{cite journal| author=Sloan DB, Moran NA| title=Endosymbiotic bacteria as a source of carotenoids in whiteflies. | journal=Biol Lett | year= 2012 | volume= 8 | issue= 6 | pages= 986–9 | pmid=22977066 | doi=10.1098/rsbl.2012.0664 | pmc=3497135 }}</ref> Carotenoids from the diet are stored in the fatty tissues of animals,<ref name=lpi/> and exclusively [[Carnivore|carnivorous]] animals obtain the compounds from animal fat. In the human diet, [[Small intestine#Absorption|absorption]] of carotenoids is improved when consumed with fat in a meal.<ref name="jfst">{{cite journal | last1=Mashurabad | first1=Purna Chandra | last2=Palika | first2=Ravindranadh | last3=Jyrwa | first3=Yvette Wilda | last4=Bhaskarachary | first4=K. | last5=Pullakhandam | first5=Raghu | title=Dietary fat composition, food matrix and relative polarity modulate the micellarization and intestinal uptake of carotenoids from vegetables and fruits | journal=Journal of Food Science and Technology | volume=54 | issue=2 | date=3 January 2017 | issn=0022-1155 | doi=10.1007/s13197-016-2466-7 | pages=333–341|pmid=28242932|pmc=5306026}}</ref> Cooking carotenoid-containing vegetables in oil and shredding the vegetable both increase carotenoid [[bioavailability]].<ref name=lpi/><ref name=jfst/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rodrigo |first1=María Jesús |last2=Cilla |first2=Antonio |last3=Barberá |first3=Reyes |last4=Zacarías |first4=Lorenzo |title=Carotenoid bioaccessibility in pulp and fresh juice from carotenoid-rich sweet oranges and mandarins |journal=Food & Function |date=2015 |volume=6 |issue=6 |pages=1950–1959 |doi=10.1039/c5fo00258c |pmid=25996796}}</ref>
There are over 1,100 known carotenoids<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Yabuzaki|first=Junko|date=2017-01-01|title=Carotenoids Database: structures, chemical fingerprints and distribution among organisms|journal=Database|language=en|volume=2017|issue=1|doi=10.1093/database/bax004|pmid=28365725|pmc=5574413}}</ref> which can be further categorized into two classes, [[xanthophyll]]s (which contain oxygen) and [[carotene]]s (which are purely [[hydrocarbon]]s and contain no oxygen).<ref name=lpi/> All are [[derivative (chemistry)|derivatives]] of [[tetraterpene]]s, meaning that they are produced from 8 [[isoprene]] molecules and contain 40 carbon atoms. In general, carotenoids absorb wavelengths ranging from 400 to 550 nanometers (violet to green light). This causes the compounds to be deeply colored yellow, orange, or red. Carotenoids are the dominant pigment in [[autumn]] leaf coloration of about 15-30% of tree species,<ref name=lpi/> but many plant colors, especially reds and purples, are due to [[polyphenol]]s.
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