Discovery of non-squalene triterpenes.

ABSTRACT: All known triterpenes are generated by triterpene synthases (TrTSs) from squalene or oxidosqualene¹. This approach is fundamentally different from the biosynthesis of short-chain (C₁₀-C₂₅) terpenes that are formed from polyisoprenyl diphosphates^2-4. In this study, two fungal chimeric class I TrTSs, Talaromyces verruculosus talaropentaene synthase (TvTS) and Macrophomina phaseolina macrophomene synthase (MpMS), were characterized. Both enzymes use dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate or hexaprenyl diphosphate as substrates, representing the first examples, to our knowledge, of non-squalene-dependent triterpene biosynthesis. The cyclization mechanisms of TvTS and MpMS and the absolute configurations of their products were investiga

SUBMITTER: Tao H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9177416 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature