Terpenoid biosynthesis is the enzymatic formation of compounds derived from the five-carbon building blocks isopentenyl diphosphate and dimethylallyl diphosphate. These precursors feed the formation of diverse linear and cyclic carbon skeletons [1]. In plants, precursor production and subsequent reactions can be organized within specialized cells and compartments, including secretory cells of glandular trichomes [2]. Prenyltransferases combine the five-carbon units into longer diphosphates, and terpene synthases transform these substrates through cyclization, rearrangement, or elimination reactions [3]. Tailoring enzymes then modify the skeleton through reactions such as oxidation. Cytochrome P450 enzymes contribute to these later transformations by introducing oxygen-containing functional groups and enabling additional structural changes. The complete pathway connects precursor generation, skeleton construction, and product-specific chemical modification [4][5].
- terpenoids
- prenyl diphosphates
- terpene synthases
- biosynthetic flux
Natural Products and Applications·General Agricultural and Biological Sciences·Agricultural and Biological Sciences·Life Sciences
References
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