Chalcones chalcone reductase

Figure 5.4. Abbreviated scheme for biosynthesis of major flavonoid subclasses, showing the primary enzymes and substrates leading to different subclasses. Bold-faced, uppercase abbreviations refer to enzyme names, whereas substrate names are presented in lowercase letters. PAL, phenylalanine ammonia lyase C4H, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase 4CL, 4-coumarate CoA ligase CHS, chalcone synthase CHI, chalcone isomerase CHR, chalcone reductase IPS, isoflavone synthase F3H, flavonone 3-hydroxylase F3 H, flavonoid 3 -hydroxylase F3 5 H, flavonoid 3 5 -hydroxylase FNSI/II, flavone synthase DFR, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase FLS, flavonol synthase ANS, anthocyanidin synthase LAR, leucoanthocyanidin reductase ANR, anthocyanidin reductase UFGT, UDP-glucose flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase. R3 = H or OH. R5 = H or OH. Glc = glucose. Please refer to text for more information.

Bomati EK, Austin MB, Bowman ME, Dixon RA and Noel IP. 2005. Structural elucidation of chalcone reductase and implications for deoxychalcone biosynthesis. J Biol Chem 280 30496-30503. 

The peptide sequences obtained for codeinone reductase aligned well with the amino acid sequences for 6 -deoxychalcone synthase (chalcone reductase) from alfalfa, Glycerrhiza, and soybean. Knowledge of the relative positions of the peptides allowed for a quick RT-PCR based isolation of cDNAs encoding codeinone reductase from P. somniferum. The codeinone reductase isoforms are 53 % identical to chalcone reductase from soybean.25 By sequence comparison, both codeinone reductase and chalcone reductase belong to the aldo/keto reductase family, a group of structurally and functionally related NADPH-dependent oxidoreductases, and thereby possibly arise from primary metabolism. Six alleles encoding codeinone... 

Recently, a new polyketide biosynthetic pathway in bacteria that parallels the well studied plant PKSs has been discovered that can assemble small aromatic metabolites.8,9 These type III PKSs10 are members of the chalcone synthase (CHS) and stilbene synthase (STS) family of PKSs previously thought to be restricted to plants.11 The best studied type III PKS is CHS. Physiologically, CHS catalyzes the biosynthesis of 4,2, 4, 6 -tetrahydroxychalcone (chalcone). Moreover, in some organisms CHS works in concert with chalcone reductase (CHR) to produce 4,2 ,4 -trihydroxychalcone (deoxychalcone) (Fig. 12.1). Both natural products constitute plant secondary metabolites that are used as precursors for the biosynthesis of anthocyanin pigments, anti-microbial phytoalexins, and chemical inducers of Rhizobium nodulation genes.12... 

A characteristic of legumes is the biosynthesis of 6 -deoxychalcones (chalcones lacking a hydroxyl at the C-6 position), which are the substrates for the production of 5-deoxyflavo-noids. The formation of 6 -deoxychalcones requires the activity of polyketide reductase (PKR) (also known as chalcone reductase or chalcone ketide reductase) in conjunction with CHS. It is thought that CoA-linked polyketide intermediates diffuse in and out of the CHS active site, and while unbound are reduced to alcohols by PKR. The resultant hydroxyl groups are then removed from the PKR products in the final cyclization and aromatization steps catalyzed by CHS. 

Joung, J.Y. et al., An overexpression of chalcone reductase of Pueraria montana var. lobata alters biosynthesis of anthocyanin and 5 -deoxyflavonoids in transgenic tobacco. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Common., 303, 326, 2003. 

Fig. (1). Schematic view of some branches of phenylpropanoid metabolism. Solid arrows indicate enzymatic reactions with the respective enzyme indicated on the right. PAL, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase C4H, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase 4CL, 4-coumarate CoA ligase CHS, chalcone synthase CF1, chalcone flavavone isomerase F3H, flavanone 3-hydroxylase DFR, dihydroflavonol reductase CHR, chalcone reductase. Broken arrows indicate metabolic branches towards several classes of phenylpropanoids, or several subsequent enzymatic steps. In some cases the enzymes indicated are also involved in other reactions, not shown.

Figure 1.36 Schematic diagram of the stilbene and flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Enzyme abbreviations SS, stilbene synthase CHS, chalcone synthase CHR, chalcone reductase CHI, chalcone isomerase IFS, isoflavone synthase FNS, flavone synthase F3H, flavanone 3-hydroxylase FLS, flavonol synthase F3 H, flavonoid 3 -hydroxylase DFR, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase LAR, leucoanthocyanidin 4-reductase LDOX, leucocyanidin deoxygenase ANR, anthocyanidin reductase EU, extension units TU, terminal unit.

Chalcone synthase (CHS) and chalcone reductase (CHR) convert 4-coumaro-yl-CoA (15) and 3 mol malonyl-CoA (16) to trihydroxychalcone (a chalcone) (17) via tetrahydroxychalcone (a chalcone) (18). Chalcone isomerase (CHI) converts trihydroxychalcone (a chalcone) (17) into liquiritigenin (7,4/-dihydroxyllavanone, a flavanone) (19). Isoflavone synthase (IFS) converted flavanone (19) to isoflavones (20) such as daidzein (21) and genis-tein (22). Isoflavone 2/-hydroxylase (I2 H) hydroxylated isoflavones (20) to 4/-methoxyisoflavones (23). Isoflavone 2 -hydroxylase (I2 H) hydroxylated 4/-methoxyisoflavones (23) into 2/-hydroxy-4/-methoxyisoflavones (24). Isoflavone reductase (IFR) reduced 2/-hydroxy-4/-methoxyisoflavones (24) to 2/-hydroxy-4/-methoxyisoflavonones (25). Finally, vestitone reductase (VR) and 4/-methoxyisoflavanol dehydrogenase (DMID) cyclized 2/-hydroxy-4/-methoxyisoflavonones (25) to form isoflavonoids (26) such as medicarpin (27) (Fig. 4) [23,24]. 

Aurones (28) were synthesized from 4-coumaroyl-CoA (15) and malonyl-CoA (16) via tetrahydroxychalcone (chalcone, 18) and trihydroxychalcone (17)), using chalcone synthase (CHS) and chalcone reductase (CHR). Au-reusidin synthase (AS) converted trihydroxychalcone (17) to aurones (28) (Fig. 5) [23,24],... 

Alternatively, chalcone reductase (CHR also known as deoxychalcone synthase) together with chalcone synthase and NADPH as a cofactor act in the formation of isoliquiritigenin, which is then isomerized, again by the enzyme chalcone isomerase, to form liquiritigenin, the precursor to daidzein, and the pterocarpan phytoalexins. A type II chalcone isomerase that seems to be found exclusively in the legumes catalyzes this isomerization reaction. Glycitein synthesis is not yet clearly defined, but is likely derived from liquiritigenin via flavonoid 6-hydroxylase, and an unidentified methyltransferase. 

Figure 8.3 The sum of daidzin and glycitin as a percent of the total amount of isoflavones in plants containing a chalcone reductase RNAi silencing construct.

Many isoflavone derivatives are formed from precursors lacking the 5-hydroxyl group. Studies with C labeling confirm that loss of the hydroxyl group usually occurs before cyclization of the A ring (i.e., at the chalcone stage) (Dewick, 1984). The enzyme chalcone reductase coacts with chalcone synthase and NADPH as a cofactor in the formation of 4,2, 4 -trihydroxychalcone (Barz and Welle, 1992). 

Tomato (Petunia) (alfalfa)/ oveiexpiession CaMV35S/ CHSl + CHR Chalcone synthase + chalcone reductase Chalcones -I- deoxychalcones Higher butein, isoliquiritigenin, naringenin, chalcone, and rutin [63]... 

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