Disclosed are the uses of inactive gene sites (the pseudogenes) to create a novel selection system and/or targeting sites for mediating the insertion of genetic material into plant and microalgae plastids, for expression of the inserted genetic material under control of the regulatory sequences of a pseudogene. The specific polynucleotides to be used, solely or in any combination thereof, are publicly available from GeneBank. Exemplified is insertion of constructs that contain open reading frames having sequences that upon expression will produce active proteins with the following enzyme activities: (a) acetoacetyl CoA thiolase (EC 2.3.1.9), (b) 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase (EC 4.1.3.5), (c) HMG-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.34), (d) mevalonate kinase (EC 2.7.1.36), (e) phosphomevalonate kinase (EC 2.7.4.2), (f) mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.33), (g) isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) isomerase (EC 5.3.3.2), and (h) phytoene synthase (EC 2.5.1.32).