BIOSYNTHESIS OF 3-DEOXYANTHOCYANINS WITH FLOWER EXTRACTS FROM SINNINGIA CARDINALIS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0031-9422(88)84093-7

Soluble enzyme preparations from flowers of Sinningia cardinalis catalyse a NADPH-dependent reduction of (2S)-naringenin to the respective flavan-4-ol apiforol (leucoapigeninidin) and of (2S)-eriodictyol to luteoforol (leucoluteolinidin).NADPH can be substituted to a great extent by NADH.The reaction has a pH optimum around 6.0 and is inhibited about 50percent by p-chloromercuribenzoate.The significance of the reaction for the 3-deoxyanthocyanin pathway and the relationship of flavanone 4-reductase and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, which was also found to be active in the flower extracts, is discussed.Key Word Index-Sinningia cardinalis; 3-deoxyanthocyanidin biosynthesis; flavanone 4-reductase; flavan-4-ol.