Delta-cadinene synthase
Encyclopedia
In enzymology, a -delta-cadinene synthase is an enzyme
that catalyzes
the chemical reaction
Hence, this enzyme has one substrate
, 2-trans,6-trans-farnesyl diphosphate, and two products
, (+)-delta-cadinene and diphosphate.
This enzyme belongs to the family of lyase
s, specifically those carbon-oxygen lyases acting on phosphates. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 2-trans,6-trans-farnesyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (cyclizing, (+)-delta-cadinene-forming). This enzyme participates in terpenoid biosynthesis. It employs one cofactor
, magnesium
.
Delta-cadinene synthase, a sesquiterpene
cyclase
, is an enzyme
expressed in plants that catalyzes
a cyclization reaction in terpenoid
biosynthesis. The enzyme cyclizes farnesyl diphosphate to delta-cadinene
and releases pyrophosphate
.
Delta-cadinene synthase is one of the key steps in the synthesis of gossypol
, a toxic terpenoid produced in cotton
seeds. Recently, cotton plants that stably underexpress the enzyme in seeds have been developed using RNA interference
techniques, producing a plant that had been proposed as a rich source of dietary protein
for developing countries.
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
that catalyzes
Catalysis
Catalysis is the change in rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of a substance called a catalyst. Unlike other reagents that participate in the chemical reaction, a catalyst is not consumed by the reaction itself. A catalyst may participate in multiple chemical transformations....
the chemical reaction
Chemical reaction
A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. Chemical reactions can be either spontaneous, requiring no input of energy, or non-spontaneous, typically following the input of some type of energy, such as heat, light or electricity...
- 2-trans,6-trans-farnesyl diphosphate
(+)-delta-cadinene + diphosphate
Hence, this enzyme has one substrate
Substrate (biochemistry)
In biochemistry, a substrate is a molecule upon which an enzyme acts. Enzymes catalyze chemical reactions involving the substrate. In the case of a single substrate, the substrate binds with the enzyme active site, and an enzyme-substrate complex is formed. The substrate is transformed into one or...
, 2-trans,6-trans-farnesyl diphosphate, and two products
Product (chemistry)
Product are formed during chemical reactions as reagents are consumed. Products have lower energy than the reagents and are produced during the reaction according to the second law of thermodynamics. The released energy comes from changes in chemical bonds between atoms in reagent molecules and...
, (+)-delta-cadinene and diphosphate.
This enzyme belongs to the family of lyase
Lyase
In biochemistry, a lyase is an enzyme that catalyzes the breaking of various chemical bonds by means other than hydrolysis and oxidation, often forming a new double bond or a new ring structure...
s, specifically those carbon-oxygen lyases acting on phosphates. The systematic name of this enzyme class is 2-trans,6-trans-farnesyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (cyclizing, (+)-delta-cadinene-forming). This enzyme participates in terpenoid biosynthesis. It employs one cofactor
Cofactor (biochemistry)
A cofactor is a non-protein chemical compound that is bound to a protein and is required for the protein's biological activity. These proteins are commonly enzymes, and cofactors can be considered "helper molecules" that assist in biochemical transformations....
, magnesium
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
.
Delta-cadinene synthase, a sesquiterpene
Sesquiterpene
Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be acyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations...
cyclase
Cyclase
A cyclase is an enzyme, almost always a lyase, that catalyzes a chemical reaction to form a cyclic compound. Important cyclase enzymes include:* Adenylyl cyclase, which forms cyclic AMP from adenosine triphosphate...
, is an enzyme
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
expressed in plants that catalyzes
Catalysis
Catalysis is the change in rate of a chemical reaction due to the participation of a substance called a catalyst. Unlike other reagents that participate in the chemical reaction, a catalyst is not consumed by the reaction itself. A catalyst may participate in multiple chemical transformations....
a cyclization reaction in terpenoid
Terpenoid
The terpenoids , sometimes called isoprenoids, are a large and diverse class of naturally occurring organic chemicals similar to terpenes, derived from five-carbon isoprene units assembled and modified in thousands of ways. Most are multicyclic structures that differ from one another not only in...
biosynthesis. The enzyme cyclizes farnesyl diphosphate to delta-cadinene
Cadinene
Cadinene is the trivial chemical name of a number of isomeric hydrocarbons that occur in a wide variety of essential oil-producing plants. The name is derived from that of the Cade juniper , the wood of which yields an oil from which cadinene isomers were first isolated.Chemically, the cadinenes...
and releases pyrophosphate
Pyrophosphate
In chemistry, the anion, the salts, and the esters of pyrophosphoric acid are called pyrophosphates. Any salt or ester containing two phosphate groups is called a diphosphate. As a food additive, diphosphates are known as E450.- Chemistry :...
.
Delta-cadinene synthase is one of the key steps in the synthesis of gossypol
Gossypol
Gossypol is a natural phenol derived from the cotton plant . Gossypol is a phenolic aldehyde that permeates cells and acts as an inhibitor for several dehydrogenase enzymes. It is a yellow pigment....
, a toxic terpenoid produced in cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
seeds. Recently, cotton plants that stably underexpress the enzyme in seeds have been developed using RNA interference
RNA interference
RNA interference is a process within living cells that moderates the activity of their genes. Historically, it was known by other names, including co-suppression, post transcriptional gene silencing , and quelling. Only after these apparently unrelated processes were fully understood did it become...
techniques, producing a plant that had been proposed as a rich source of dietary protein
Protein in nutrition
Proteins are polymer chains made of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. Proteins and carbohydrates contain 4 kcal per gram as opposed to lipids which contain 9 kcal per gram....
for developing countries.