Progress of Chalcone Isomerase in Plants

Flavonoids belongs to phenolic compounds, and it has an extensive medicinal value. Chalcone isomerase(CHI), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of plant flavonoids, catalyzes the intramolecular cyclization of bicyclic chalcones into tricyclic (2S)-flavanones, and whose activity is closely related to flavonoids biosynthesis in plant. Undoubtedly, studying the CHI transgenic plant is significant to increase the contents of flavonoids in plants. The recent progress of the plant CHI gene structure, overall structure of CHI, reaction mechanism, and its transgenic application were briefly reviewed.