Terpene synthase N terminal domain explained

Symbol:	Terpene_synth
Terpene_synth
Pfam:	PF01397
Interpro:	IPR001906
Scop:	5eau

In molecular biology, this protein domain belongs to the terpene synthase family (TPS). Its role is to synthesize terpenes, which are part of primary metabolism, such as sterols andcarotene, and also part of the secondary metabolism. This entry will focus on the N terminal domain of the TPS protein.

Function

Terpenes synthases have a role in producing important molecules in metabolism, these molecules are part of a large group called terpenoids . In particular, the N terminal domain has feature of the copalyl diphosphate synthase (CPS) active site.^[1]

Structure

The N-terminal domain forms an alpha-barrel similar to that of the sesquiterpene cyclase epiaristolochene synthase.^[2]

Conservation

Sequences containing this protein domain belong to the terpene synthase family. It has been suggested that this gene family be designated tps (for terpene synthase). Sequence comparisons reveal similarities between the monoterpene (C₁₀) synthases, sesquiterpene (C₁₅) synthases and the diterpene (C₂₀) synthases. It has been split into six subgroups on the basis of phylogeny, called Tpsa-Tpsf .^[3]

• Tpsa includes vetispiridiene synthase.^[4]
• Tpsb includes (-)-limonene synthase.^[5]
• Tpsc includes copalyl diphosphate synthase (kaurene synthase A).^[6]
• Tpsd includes taxadiene synthase,^[7] pinene synthase,^[8] and myrcene synthase.^[9]
• Tpse includes ent-kaurene synthase B.^[10]
• Tpsf includes S-linalool synthase.^[11] In the fungus Phaeosphaeria sp. (strain L487) the synthesis of ent-kaurene from geranylgeranyl dophosphate is promoted by a single bifunctional protein.^[12]

See also

Terpene synthase C terminal domain

Notes and References

1. Chen F, Tholl D, Bohlmann J, Pichersky E . The family of terpene synthases in plants: a mid-size family of genes for specialized metabolism that is highly diversified throughout the kingdom. . Plant J . 2011 . 66 . 1 . 212–29 . 21443633 . 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2011.04520.x . free .
2. David W. Christianson. Whittington DA, Wise ML, Urbansky M, Coates RM, Croteau RB, Christianson DW . Bornyl diphosphate synthase: structure and strategy for carbocation manipulation by a terpenoid cyclase. . Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 2002 . 99 . 24 . 15375–80 . 12432096 . 10.1073/pnas.232591099 . 137724 . 2002PNAS...9915375W . free .
3. Bohlmann J, Steele CL, Croteau R . Monoterpene synthases from grand fir (Abies grandis). cDNA isolation, characterization, and functional expression of myrcene synthase, (-)-(4S)-limonene synthase, and (-)-(1S,5S)-pinene synthase . J. Biol. Chem. . 272 . 35 . 21784–92 . August 1997 . 9268308 . 10.1074/jbc.272.35.21784. free .
4. https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q39979
5. 4S-limonene synthase precursor - Mentha spicata (Spearmint) . 2007 . 10.1073/pnas.0700915104 . Uniprot.org . 17372193 . 2012-08-02. Hyatt . D. C. . Youn . B. . Zhao . Y. . Santhamma . B. . Coates . R. M. . Croteau . R. B. . Kang . C. . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 104 . 13 . 5360–5 . 1838495 . free .
6. Ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase, chloroplastic precursor - Pisum sativum (Garden pea) . 1997 . 10.1046/j.1365-313X.1997.11030443.x . Uniprot.org . 9107034 . 2012-08-02. Ait-Ali . T. . Swain . S. M. . Reid . J. B. . Sun . T. . Kamiya . Y. . The Plant Journal: For Cell and Molecular Biology . 11 . 3 . 443–54 . free .
7. Taxadiene synthase - Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) . 1996 . 10.1074/jbc.271.16.9201 . Uniprot.org . 8621577 . 2012-08-02. Wildung . M. R. . Croteau . R. . The Journal of Biological Chemistry . 271 . 16 . 9201–4 . 3191132 . free .
8. Web site: Pinene synthase, chloroplastic precursor - Abies grandis (Grand fir) . Uniprot.org . 2012-08-02.
9. Web site: Myrcene synthase, chloroplastic precursor - Abies grandis (Grand fir) . Uniprot.org . 2012-08-02.
10. Ent-kaur-16-ene synthase, chloroplastic precursor - Cucurbita maxima (Pumpkin) . 1996 . 10.1046/j.1365-313X.1996.10020203.x . Uniprot.org . 8771778 . 2012-08-02. Yamaguchi . S. . Saito . T. . Abe . H. . Yamane . H. . Murofushi . N. . Kamiya . Y. . The Plant Journal: For Cell and Molecular Biology . 10 . 2 . 203–13 .
11. Web site: Linalool synthase - Clarkia concinna (Red ribbons) . Uniprot.org . 2012-08-02.
12. Kawaide H, Imai R, Sassa T, Kamiya Y . Ent-kaurene synthase from the fungus Phaeosphaeria sp. L487. cDNA isolation, characterization, and bacterial expression of a bifunctional diterpene cyclase in fungal gibberellin biosynthesis . J. Biol. Chem. . 272 . 35 . 21706–12 . August 1997 . 9268298 . 10.1074/jbc.272.35.21706. free .