2026-06-16 東北大学
図1. 細胞内におけるメタボロン（酵素複合体）形成による効率的なフラボノイド合成の概要図
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/japanese/2026/06/press20260616-01-metabolon.html
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41929-026-01551-6
フラボノイド代謝物の過渡的な動態がカルコン合成酵素の特異性を調整する Transient dynamics of flavonoid metabolons tune chalcone synthase specificity
Riki Imaizumi,Toshiyuki Waki,Yoshikazu Hattori,Kohei Takeshita,Miru Sumita,Kazutomo Kawaguchi,Hiroyuki Kumeta,Kenichi Umeda,Kyohei Sato,Taro Yanai,Hiroaki Matsuura,Takeshi Yokoyama,Risa Omura,Kayo Nakatani,Naoki Sakai,Yukimura Kawagiwa,Yamato Doi,Aoi Yasuda,Takuya Nakano,Kaichi Uno,Kunihiro Yoshida,Misato Tsunashima,Tomohide Saio,Yoshikazu Tanaka,… Toru Nakayama
Nature Catalysis Published:15 June 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41929-026-01551-6
Abstract
Cells achieve metabolic precision by assembling enzymes into dynamic complexes, but the regulatory mechanism of these metabolons is unclear. Here we characterize the chalcone synthase (CHS)–chalcone isomerase-like protein (CHIL) complex, a key component of flavonoid metabolons. While crystallography provides a static view, our analyses reveal that CHS undergoes rapid, reversible binding cycles with CHIL that regulate catalysis in real time. CHIL removes coenzyme A, an inhibitor of Claisen cyclization, transiently reshapes the CHS active site and guides the tetraketide intermediate towards productive cyclization, thereby suppressing derailment by-products. These findings demonstrate a previously unproven and generalizable regulatory effect in metabolons: guided active-site tuning via transient enzyme association. This concept enhances our understanding of metabolon function and opens avenues for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering.
