Anthocyanidin reductase

In enzymology, anthocyanidin reductase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the general chemical reaction

For example, the enzyme converts the anthocyanidin cyanidin to the flavanol (–)-epicatechin by reduction:

In this case, the three substrates of this enzyme are cyanidin, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), and a proton. It converts them to (–)-epicatechin and oxidised NADP⁺. The enzyme from the legume Medicago truncatula can use nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as an alternative cofactor.

This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, specifically those acting on the CH-CH group of donor with NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptor. The systematic name of this enzyme class is flavan-3-ol:NAD(P)+ oxidoreductase. Other names in common use include AtANR, and MtANR. This enzyme participates in flavonoid biosynthesis.

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