School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, United Kingdom.
Nat Prod Rep. 2012 Jan;29(1):60-71. doi: 10.1039/c1np00060h. Epub 2011 Nov 8.
Sesquiterpene synthases catalyse the metal dependent turnover of farnesyl diphosphate to generate a class of natural products characterised by an enormous diversity in structure, stereochemistry, biological function and application. It has been proposed that these enzymes take a passive role in the reactions they catalyse and that they serve mostly as stereochemical templates, within which the reactions take place. Here, recent research into the structure and function of sesquiterpene synthases and the mechanisms of the reactions that they catalyse will be reviewed to suggest that these fascinating enzymes play multifaceted active roles in what are arguably the most complex biosynthetic reactions.
倍半萜合酶催化法呢那基二磷酸的金属依赖性转化，生成一类具有结构、立体化学、生物功能和应用极大多样性的天然产物。据推测，这些酶在它们催化的反应中扮演被动的角色，主要作为立体化学模板，反应在这些模板内发生。在此，将回顾倍半萜合酶的结构和功能以及它们催化的反应机制的最新研究，以表明这些迷人的酶在可以说是最复杂的生物合成反应中发挥着多方面的积极作用。
