a common enzyme, catalyzes this process. Because the hydrolysis is slow in the absence of the enzyme, indican can be viewed as a protected version of indoxyl. Once formed, the indoxyl is oxidized by atmospheric oxygen to give blue indigo dye. Since synthetic indigo is produced on a massive scale by chemical routes, i.e. 50,000 tons/y (2011), the prospect of a biological pathway is of practical interest.

Medical significance

Biosynthesis

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