Coumaroyl-CoA explained

Coumaroyl-coenzyme A is the thioester of coenzyme-A and coumaric acid. Coumaroyl-coenzyme A is a central intermediate in the biosynthesis of myriad natural products found in plants. These products include lignols (precursors to lignin and lignocellulose), flavonoids, isoflavonoids, coumarins, aurones, stilbenes, catechin, and other phenylpropanoids.^[1]

Biosynthesis and significance

It is generated in nature from phenylalanine, which is converted by PAL to trans-cinnamate. Trans-cinnamate is hydroxylated by trans-cinnamate 4-monooxygenase to give 4-hydroxycinnamate (i.e, coumarate). Coumarate is condensed with coenzyme-A in the presence of 4-coumarate-CoA ligase:

ATP + 4-coumarate + CoA

\rightleftharpoons AMP + diphosphate + 4-coumaroyl-CoA.

Enzymes using Coumaroyl-Coenzyme A

• Anthocyanin 3-O-glucoside 6-O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase
• Anthocyanin 5-aromatic acyltransferase
• Chalcone synthase
• 4-Coumarate-CoA ligase
• 6'-Deoxychalcone synthase
• Agmatine N4-coumaroyltransferase
• Flavonol-3-O-triglucoside O-coumaroyltransferase
• Naringenin-chalcone synthase
• Shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase
• Trihydroxystilbene synthase

Notes and References

1. Molecular Plant. 2010. 2–20. 10.1093/mp/ssp106. Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis. Vogt, T.. 20035037. 3. free.