Valencene synthase explained

Valencene synthase
Ec Number:	4.2.3.73

Valencene synthase (EC 4.2.3.73) is an enzyme with systematic name (2E,6E)-farnesyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (valencene-forming).^[1] It is a terpene cyclase enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of valencene, a sesquiterpene, using farnesyl pyrophosphate as its substrate. The first such enzyme was isolated using orange cDNA.^[2] This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

(2E,6E)-farnesyl diphosphate

\rightleftharpoons (+)-valencene + diphosphate

The recombinant enzyme from Vitis vinifera forms (+)-valencene and (-)-7-epi-α-selinene.

Notes and References

1. Lücker J, Bowen P, Bohlmann J . Vitis vinifera terpenoid cyclases: functional identification of two sesquiterpene synthase cDNAs encoding (+)-valencene synthase and (-)-germacrene D synthase and expression of mono- and sesquiterpene synthases in grapevine flowers and berries . Phytochemistry . 65 . 19 . 2649–59 . October 2004 . 15464152 . 10.1016/j.phytochem.2004.08.017 .
2. Sharon-Asa L, Shalit M, Frydman A, Bar E, Holland D, Or E, Lavi U, Lewinsohn E, Eyal Y . 6 . Citrus fruit flavor and aroma biosynthesis: isolation, functional characterization, and developmental regulation of Cstps1, a key gene in the production of the sesquiterpene aroma compound valencene . The Plant Journal . 36 . 5 . 664–74 . December 2003 . 14617067 . 10.1046/j.1365-313x.2003.01910.x . Blackwell Publishing Ltd. . free .