Biochemistry and regulation of aurone biosynthesis

Aurones are a group of flavonoids that confer a bright yellow coloration to certain ornamental flowers and are a promising structural target for the development of new therapeutic drugs. Since the first identification of the snapdragon aurone synthase as a polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in 2000, several important advances in the biochemistry and regulation of aurone biosynthesis have been achieved. For example, several other aurone synthases have been identified in distantly related plants, which not only include PPOs but also peroxidases. Elucidation of the subcellular localization of aurone biosynthesis in snapdragon led to the establishment of a method to genetically engineer novel yellow flowers. The crystal structure of an aurone-producing PPO was clarified and provided important insights into the structure-function relationship of aurone-producing PPOs. A locus (SULFUREA) that negatively regulates aurone biosynthesis in snapdragon was identified, illustrating the evolution of flower color pattern through selection on regulatory small RNAs.