Phylogeny and characterization of triterpene synthases

BIOL 231

Carl S. Onak, conak@rice.edu1, Gia C. Fazio2, William K. Wilson2, and Seiichi P. T. Matsuda, matsuda@rice.edu3. (1) Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 S. Main St., MS-60, Houston, TX 77005, (2) Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, 6100 Main St., MS-140, Houston, TX 77005, (3) Department of Chemistry and Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, 6100 S. Main St. MS 65, Houston, TX 77005
Secondary metabolites are compounds that organisms make for defense and communication purposes. The triterpenoids are a large family of secondary metabolites that includes steroids and nonsteroidal saponins. Because the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites depends strongly on environmental cues, plant extracts typically contain only a fraction of the natural products that the plant can make. Heterologous expression of triterpene synthases in yeast and analysis of their products by NMR and GC-MS allows the enzymes to be characterized by their product profile. This approach uncovers considerably more triterpene skeletons than accumulate in plant tissue at detectable levels. Phylogenetic comparisons suggest that several triterpene synthases have evolved convergently to produce similar product profiles.
 

Frontiers in Chemical Biology
5:00 PM-7:00 PM, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster

Division of Biological Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007