Chalcone isomerase (CHI)

Chalcone isomerase (CHI) is a critical plant enzyme that catalyzes the stereospecific cyclization of chalcones into flavanones, a key step in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway [4, 10]. This enzyme is essential for the production of various secondary metabolites, including anthocyanins and isoflavonoids, which play vital roles in plant pigmentation, UV protection, and defense against pathogens [13, 24]. While CHI is not present in humans and is therefore not a direct therapeutic target for human disease, it is a significant target in biotechnology and metabolic engineering for the large-scale production of health-promoting flavonoids [14, 25]. These flavonoids are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties in human health [17, 28]. Research into CHI also focuses on its potential as a target for herbicides, as its inhibition can disrupt vital plant processes [16, 23]. Furthermore, CHI is studied in agricultural science to improve crop resistance to environmental stress and enhance nutritional value [8, 9].

Other names

Chalcone-flavanone isomeraseFlavanone lyase (decyclizing)CHI

Catalyzes the stereospecific intramolecular cyclization of chalcones into (2S)-flavanones via an intramolecular Michael addition, increasing the reaction rate by up to 10^7 fold compared to the spontaneous reaction [4, 13, 24].