What is Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase?

Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase , systematically named cinnamaldehyde:NADP+ oxidoreductase but commonly referred to by the acronym CCR, is an enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of a substituted cinnamoyl-CoA to its corresponding cinnamaldehyde, utilizing NADPH and H and releasing free CoA and NADP in the process. Common biologically relevant cinnamoyl-CoA substrates for CCR include p-coumaroyl-CoA and feruloyl-CoA, which are converted into p-coumaraldehyde and coniferaldehyde, respectively, though most CCRs show activity toward a variety of other substituted cinnamoyl-CoA's as well. Catalyzing the first committed step in monolignol biosynthesis, this enzyme plays a critical role in lignin formation, a process important in plants both for structural development and defense response.