Ko te biosynthesis unconditioned o lycopene i roto i te eukaryotic tipu, me te i roto i te prokaryotic cyanobacteria he rite, pera ano nga enzymes whai wāhi. tīmata Synthesis ki te waikawa mevalonic, e tahuri ki dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. tenei te ka kōpeke ki e toru ngota o isopentenyl pyrophosphate (he isomer o dimethylallyl pyrophosphate), ki te hoatu i te 20-carbon geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. e rua ngota o tenei hua e ka kōpeke i roto i te hiku-ki-kōpeke whirihoranga ki te hoatu i te 40-carbon phytoene, te taahiraa tuatahi i roto i te carotenoid biosynthesis. Na roto i te maha desaturation, ka tahuri phytoene ki lycopene.
ka huri ki te lycopene