Alpha-amyrin synthase explained

α-Amyrin synthase
Ec Number:	5.4.99.40

α-Amyrin synthase (2,3-oxidosqualene alpha-amyrin cyclase, mixed amyrin synthase) is an enzyme with systematic name (3S)-2,3-epoxy-2,3-dihydrosqualene mutase (cyclizing, alpha-amyrin-forming).^[1] This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

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

\rightleftharpoons alpha-amyrin

This multifunctional enzyme produces both alpha- and beta-amyrin.

Notes and References

1. Morita M, Shibuya M, Kushiro T, Masuda K, Ebizuka Y . Molecular cloning and functional expression of triterpene synthases from pea (Pisum sativum) new alpha-amyrin-producing enzyme is a multifunctional triterpene synthase . European Journal of Biochemistry . 267 . 12 . 3453–60 . June 2000 . 10848960 . 10.1046/j.1432-1327.2000.01357.x . free .