Extension of the terpene chemical space: the very first biosynthetic steps

Julie Couillaud (1, 2) , Katia Duquesne (1) , Gilles Iacazio (1)

1 ISM2 - Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille
2 Chalmers University of Technology [Gothenburg, Sweden]

The structural diversity of terpenes is particularly notable and many studies are carried out to increase it further. In the terpene biosynthetic pathway this diversity is accessible from only two common precursors, i.e. isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). Methods recently developed (e.g. the Terpene Mini Path) allow to obtain DMAPP and IPP from a twosteps enzymatic conversion of industrially available isopentenol (IOH) and dimethylallyl alcohol (DMAOH) into their corresponding diphosphates. Easily available IOH and DMAOH analogs then offer a quick access to modified terpenoids avoiding thus the tedious chemical synthesis of unnatural diphosphates. The aim of this minireview is to cover the literature devoted to the use of these analogs for widening the accessible terpene chemical space.

Mots clés: DMAPP analogues; IPP analogues; non-natural terpenes; prenyl transferases; terpene mini-path

Domaines: Chimie organique; Catalyse; Biochimie [q-bio.BM]

Julie Couillaud, Katia Duquesne, Gilles Iacazio. Extension of the terpene chemical space: the very first biosynthetic steps. ChemBioChem, 2022, 23 (9), pp.e202100642. ⟨10.1002/cbic.202100642⟩. ⟨hal-04034379⟩