oxygenase

The gene beta-carotene oxygenase 1 is responsible for carotenoid metabolism and most likely explains flesh color variation in salmon.

To compensate, the body makes more of the heme oxygenase-1 enzyme, leading to more carbon monoxide production.

Although the study carefully teases apart the mechanism, researchers don’t know how well heme oxygenase-1 works against malaria in people.

People have genetic variants that control production of the heme oxygenase-1 enzyme, so some people with the sickle-cell mutation may not make as much of the enzyme as others do.