Chalcone-flavanone isomerase is a plant enzyme responsible for the isomerisation of chalcone to naringenin, 4',5,7-trihydroxyflavanone, a key step in the biosynthesis of flavonoids.
Chalcone isomerase is required in plant flavonoid biosynthesis, catalysing the cyclisation of chalcone with a 1:100,000 preference for the S-isomer over the R- isomer. This pathway is well characterised, and so the flavonoid biosynthetic enzymes are attractive targets for metabolic engineering.
Defined by 4 residues: ARG:A-36THR:A-48LYS:A-97TYR:A-106