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
References
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- B. Markus Lange; Glenn W. Turner; Terpenoid biosynthesis in trichomes—current status and future opportunities. Plant Biotechnol. J. 2012, 11, 2-22, 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2012.00737.x.
- Hui Jiang; Xi Wang; Biosynthesis of monoterpenoid and sesquiterpenoid as natural flavors and fragrances. Biotechnol. Adv. 2023, 65, 108151, 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108151.
- Yuya Kakumu; Ayesha Ahmed Chaudhri; Eric J. N. Helfrich; The role and mechanisms of canonical and non-canonical tailoring enzymes in bacterial terpenoid biosynthesis. Nat. Prod. Rep. 2025, 42, 501-539, 10.1039/d4np00048j.
- Han Xiao; Yue Zhang; Meng Wang; Discovery and Engineering of Cytochrome P450s for Terpenoid Biosynthesis. Trends Biotechnol. 2019, 37, 618-631, 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.11.008.