O le biosynthesis unconditioned o lycopene i eukaryotic laau ma i prokaryotic cyanobacteria e tutusa, e pei o le enzymes aafia. e amata synthesis ma mevalonic acid, lea ua liua i dimethylallyl pyrophosphate. lea ua condensed ma tolu molecules o isopentenyl pyrophosphate (a isomer o dimethylallyl pyrophosphate), e tuuina atu le 20-carbon geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. e lua molecules o lenei oloa ua condensed lea i se siʻusiʻu-e-siʻu faatulagaga e tuuina atu le 40-carbon phytoene, o le laasaga muamua i carotenoid biosynthesis. e ala i le tele o desaturation, ua liua phytoene i lycopene. e mafai ona toe faaolaina le vaega e lua terminal o lycopene-cycophene i le beta-carotene. lea e mafai ona liua i le tele o laasaga vailaau o laau.
o le mevalonic acid