Structure and Mechanism of Anthocyanidin Synthase from Arabidopsis Thaliana.
Wilmouth, R.C., Turnbull, J.J., Welford, R.W.D., Clifton, I.J., Prescott, A.G., Schofield, C.J.(2002) Structure 10: 93
- PubMed: 11796114 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/s0969-2126(01)00695-5
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
1GP4, 1GP5, 1GP6 - PubMed Abstract: 
Flavonoids are common colorants in plants and have long-established biomedicinal properties. Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), a 2-oxoglutarate iron-dependent oxygenase, catalyzes the penultimate step in the biosynthesis of the anthocyanin class of flavonoids. The crystal structure of ANS reveals a multicomponent active site containing metal, cosubstrate, and two molecules of a substrate analog (dihydroquercetin). An additional structure obtained after 30 min exposure to dioxygen is consistent with the oxidation of the dihydroquercetin to quercetin and the concomitant decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate to succinate. Together with in vitro studies, the crystal structures suggest a mechanism for ANS-catalyzed anthocyanidin formation from the natural leucoanthocyanidin substrates involving stereoselective C-3 hydroxylation. The structure of ANS provides a template for the ubiquitous family of plant nonhaem oxygenases for future engineering and inhibition studies.
Organizational Affiliation: 
The Dyson Perrins Laboratory, Oxford Centre for Molecular Sciences, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, United Kingdom. [email protected]