Marneral synthase explained

Marneral synthase
Ec Number:	5.4.99.53

Marneral synthase is an enzyme with systematic name (3S)-2,3-epoxy-2,3-dihydrosqualene mutase (cyclizing, marneral-forming).^[1] This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

(3S)-2,3-epoxy-2,3-dihydrosqualene

\rightleftharpoons marneral

Marneral is a triterpenoid formed by Grob fragmentation of the A ring of 2,3-epoxy-2,3-dihydrosqualene during cyclization. This aldehyde gains its name from its structural similarity to a class triterpenes commonly found in members of the Iridaceae, originally identified by Dr. Franz-Josef Marner

This enzyme is a member of a metabolic gene cluster along with two other cytochrome P450s.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Xiong Q, Wilson WK, Matsuda SP . An Arabidopsis oxidosqualene cyclase catalyzes iridal skeleton formation by Grob fragmentation . Angewandte Chemie . 45 . 8 . 1285–8 . February 2006 . 16425307 . 10.1002/anie.200503420 .
2. Field B, Fiston-Lavier AS, Kemen A, Geisler K, Quesneville H, Osbourn AE . Formation of plant metabolic gene clusters within dynamic chromosomal regions . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 108 . 38 . 16116–21 . September 2011 . 21876149 . 3179108 . 10.1073/pnas.1109273108 . 2011PNAS..10816116F . free .