Which biosynthetic pathway is responsible for production of flavonoids?
Flavonoids are synthesized by the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway in which the amino acid phenylalanine is used to produce 4-coumaroyl-CoA. This can be combined with malonyl-CoA to yield the true backbone of flavonoids, a group of compounds called chalcones, which contain two phenyl rings.
Is flavonoid a secondary metabolite?
Flavonoids are main class of secondary metabolites and occur in different tissues and organs in diverse plant species. The higher accumulation of flavonoids in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables increases their economical value because flavonoids are good for human health.
How do you classify flavonoids?
Flavonoids are classified into six subclasses according to their basic structure, including flavonols, flavanones, isoflavones, flavones, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins [27].
What are the main groups of flavonoids?
There are several significant groups of flavonoids, including anthocyanidins, flavanols, flavones, flavonols, flavonones and isoflavones. Within the flavanol subgroup there are still more subgroups.
What is the function of flavonoids in plants?
Functions of flavonoids in plants Flavonoids are the most important plant pigments for flower coloration, producing yellow or red/blue pigmentation in petals designed to attract pollinator animals. In higher plants, flavonoids are involved in UV filtration, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, and floral pigmentation.
Are flavonoids and bioflavonoids the same?
Flavonoids are characterized as a plant pigment that is found in many fruits and flowers. Bioflavonoids are polyphenolic compounds found in plants.
What is important in the structure of flavonoids?
The general structure of flavonoids is a 15-carbon skeleton, containing 2 benzene rings connected by a 3-carbon linking chain. Therefore, they are depicted as C6-C3-C6 compounds. Furthermore, flavonoids can be found in plants in glycoside-bound and free aglycone forms.
Are all phytochemicals flavonoids?
Flavonoids are the most common and widely distributed group of plant phenolic compounds, occurring virtually in all plant parts, particularly the photosynthesising plant cells. They are a major coloring component of flowering plants. Being phytochemicals, flavonoids cannot be synthesized by humans and animals [45].
What is the main function of flavonoids?
The different flavonoids have diverse biological functions, including protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation and phytopathogens, signaling during nodulation, male fertility, auxin transport, as well as the coloration of flowers as a visual signal that attracts pollinators (Mol et al., 1998; Winkel-Shirley, 2002; …
What are the biosynthetic pathways for flavonoids in plants?
In plants, there are essentially two distinct biosynthetic pathways for the synthesis of flavonoid-based compounds. They include the shikimic acid pathway generating the phenyl propanoids (C6-C3) skeleton and the acetate pathway serving as a building block for polymeric 2-carbon units (Croteau et al., 2000).
What is the hydroxylation pattern of flavonoids?
The common hydroxylation pattern in flavonoids is at positions C-5 and C-7 in ring A, and C-4′ in ring B which often forms a catechol function group in the presence of a further hydroxyl group at C-3′ (ring B).
How are flavonoids used in the reproduction process?
Flavonoids not only protect the plant from the harmful effects of UV irradiation but also play a crucial role in the sexual reproduction process. A special class of flavonoid polymers, the tannins, plays a structural role in the plant.
Which is the biosynthesis pathway for phenyl propanoids?
They include the shikimic acid pathway generating the phenyl propanoids (C6-C3) skeleton and the acetate pathway serving as a building block for polymeric 2-carbon units ( Croteau et al., 2000 ). An overview of these biosynthesis pathways of flavonoids starting from primary metabolites is shown in Fig. 1.