apocarotenoid

Apocarotenoids are organic compounds which occur widely in living organisms. They are derived from carotenoids by oxidative cleavage,{{cite journal |last=Marasco |first=Erin K. |last2=Vay |first2=Kimleng |last3=Schmidt-Dannert |first3=Claudia |year=2006 |title=Identification of Carotenoid Cleavage Dioxygenases from Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 with Different Cleavage Activities |journal=Journal of Biological Chemistry |volume=281 |issue=42 |pages=31583–31593 |publisher=ASBMB |doi=10.1074/jbc.M606299200 |pmid=16920703|doi-access=free }}

catalyzed by carotenoid oxygenases. Examples include the vitamin A retinoids retinal, retinoic acid, and retinol; and the plant hormone abscisic acid.