Chalcone synthase

Chalcone synthase

Chalcone synthases (CHS) are a family of polyketide synthase enzymes associated with the production of chalcones, a class of organic compounds found mainly in plants as natural defense mechanisms and as synthetic intermediates, for example in the production of pigments. Although higher plant chalcone synthases have been extensively studied, little information is available on the enzymes from bryophytes (primitive plants). Cloning of CHS from the moss Physcomitrella patens revealed an important transition from the chalcone synthases present in microorganisms to those present in higher plants.[1]

The chalcone synthase gene of Petunia plants is famous for being the first gene in which the phenomenon of RNA interference was observed; researchers intending to upregulate the production of pigments in light pink or violet flowers introduced a transgene for chalcone synthase, expecting that both the native gene and the transgene would express the enzyme and result in a more deeply colored flower phenotype. Instead the transgenic plants had mottled white flowers, indicating that the introduction of the transgene had downregulated or silenced chalcone synthase expression.[2] Further investigation of the phenomenon indicated that the downregulation was due to post-transcriptional inhibition of the chalcone synthase gene expression via an increased rate of messenger RNA degradation.[3]

Naringenin-chalcone synthase uses malonyl-CoA and 4-coumaroyl-CoA to produce CoA, naringenin chalcone, and CO2.

References

  1. ^ Jiang C, Schommer C, Kim S-Y, Suh D-Y (2006). "Cloning and Characterization of Chalcone Synthase from the moss Physcomitrella patens". Phytochemistry 67 (23): 2531–2540. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.09.030. PMID 17083952. 
  2. ^ Napoli C, Lemieux C, Jorgensen R (1990). "Introduction of a Chimeric Chalcone Synthase Gene into Petunia Results in Reversible Co-Suppression of Homologous Genes in trans". Plant Cell 2 (4): 279–289. doi:10.1105/tpc.2.4.279. PMC 159885. PMID 12354959. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=159885. 
  3. ^ Van Blokland R, Van der Geest N, Mol JNM, Kooter JM (1994). "Transgene-mediated suppression of chalcone synthase expression in Petunia hybrida results from an increase in RNA turnover". Plant J 6 (6): 861–77. doi:10.1046/j.1365-313X.1994.6060861.x. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1365-313X.1994.6060861.x/abs/. 

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