Abstract:The chalcone isomerase gene (CHI) cDNA from Brunfelsia acuminata flowers was cloned by RTPCR and RACE, with GenBank accession number JN887637. The full length cDNA of CHI was 1051 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 792 bp, encoding an unstable protein with 263 amino acids. CHI protein from B. acuminata flower has conserved domain belonging to chalcone superfamily. It was predicted that the secondary structure of CHI protein dominated by α-coil and β-sheet. The amino acid sequence of CHI from B. acuminata flowers had homologous to those from Petunia hybrida, Camellia nitidissima, Prunus avium, Paeonia lactiflora, P. suffruticosa, Chrysanthemum morifolium for 90%, 89%, 84%, 85%, 84% and 80%, respectively. It suggested that CHI gene related to flower color formation of B. acuminata.
