Identification of new chalcone synthase genes for flower pigmentation in the Japanese and common morning glories.

New cDNA sequences for chalcone synthase (CHS), a key enzyme in the flavonoid biosynthesis, were obtained from the Japanese and common morning glories; they are more closely related to other CHS sequences than the six previously described CHS genes from the same plants. The newly isolated CHS-D gene is abundantly expressed in the pigmented flower buds, while its expression is drastically reduced in the white flower buds. Thus CHS-D appears to produce major CHS transcripts for flower pigmentation.