Triggers accumulation of carotenoids, mainly beta-carotene, in fruit flesh. Expression increases in fruit flesh during fruit development. The OR gene possesses two alleles in melon, one associated with orange flesh (this entry) and the second being associated with either white or green flesh (AC A0A0D3MU35). A single SNP between the two alleles causes a change of an evolutionarily highly conserved Arg in position 108 (AC A0A0D3MU35) to His (His-108). The Arg and His alleles are responsible for the non-orange and orange melon fruit phenotypes, respectively. This findings could serve as a novel genetic tool to enrich carotenoid content in transgenic crops. Its sequence is related to the DnaJ family but lacks the J domain. The CR-type-like region is similar to CR-type zinc-fingers. Belongs to the orange-like family.