BIOINFORMATICS-BASED CHARACTERIZATION OF THE CHALCONE SYNTHASE (CHS) FAMILY GENES IN FLOWERING PLANTS

Abstract

Chalcone synthase (CHS) is an essential rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of anthocyanin pigments found in plant organs, such as, flowers and fruits. The CHS gene family appears in all flowering plants. Here, we searched and characterized the CHS genes from different flowering plants. Database search resulted in identifying Chalcone synthase genes from 29 diverse plant species. Phylogenetic analysis indicated significantly higher similarity between the various CHS genes, divided into at least six closely related rooted clades. Gene structure analysis identified the relative sizes and positions of UTRs, introns, and exons. Protein sequence alignment specified more than 95% similarity between the CHS genes, with eight highly conserved domains of different lengths. Likewise, in-depth analysis showed the presence of three highly conserved motifs in the protein sequence of all the 29 chalcone synthase genes. Physicochemical properties, such as, molecular weight, instability index, aliphatic index, hydropathicity (GRAVY), length, and isoelectric point (pI) of the CHS genes were significantly similar. Furthermore, the predicted 3D structures of CHS genes from different plant species highly remained and are homologous to each other, indicating that the CHS family genes have significantly conserved sequences and functionality across the plant kingdom.