CYP76AD1-beta clade polynucleotides, polypeptides, and methods for producing betalains

A method of producing betalains, comprising introducing into a cell a first heterologous polynucleotide that encodes a CYP76AD1-beta clade protein and a second heterologous polynucleotide that encodes a DOPA 4,5-dioxygenase (DOD) protein that converts L-DOPA to betalamic acid, wherein the first heterologous polynucleotide and the second heterologous polynucleotide are each under the control of a promoter active in the cell, wherein the cell is selected from a plant cell, a bacterial cell and a yeast cell, and wherein said CYP76AD1-beta clade protein is a protein with at least 85% sequence identity to at least one of:

• SEQ ID NO:
• 10, SEQ ID NO:
• 11, SEQ ID NO:
• 12, SEQ ID NO:
• 13, SEQ ID NO:
• 18 and SEQ ID NO:
• 44, and that converts tyrosine to L-DOPA and does not convert L-DOPA to cyclo-DOPA, thereby producing betalains.