Lutein is the most abundant plant carotenoid that plays a role in retina protection against photostress.
The aim of this study was to develop lutein or zeaxanthin specific gene markers from rice which, will
be used in breeding program for developing high lutein or zeaxanthin varieties. Lutein content was examined
by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The result showed that Kum Noi, black pericarp rice, had the
highest lutein content and was used as donor parent in breeding population. Carotenoid biosynthesis gene
sequence and expression level from different pericarp color rice were analyzed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR
and transcriptome sequencing. There are 10 genes that showed different in sequence and gene expression
which were PSY/ crtB ( phytoene synthase) , crtISO ( carotenoid isomerase) , BCH/ crtZ ( ?- carotene
hydroxylase), lcyB (lycopene ?-cyclase), lcyE (lycopene ?-cyclase), LUT1/CYP97C1 (cytochrome P450-
type hydroxylase C 1) , LUT5/ CYP97A3 ( cytochrome P450- type hydroxylase A3) , PDS ( phytoenede
saturase) , ZDS ( ?- carotene desaturase) , and Z- ISO ( ?- carotene isomerase) genes. The Z- ISO and
LUT5/CYP97A3 were reported that they were related with lutein content in rice. Then RM and SNP marker
of these genes were be designed and will used for lutein trait association analysis in F2 population.