Turning a Sesquiterpene Synthase into a Di- and Sesterterpene Synthase

The sesquiterpene synthase 7-epi-α-eudesmol synthase is widespread in streptomycetes. Several active site residues that were identified by an alignment of their amino acid sequence to the sequence of the structurally known selina-4(15),7(11)-diene synthase were targeted by site-directed mutagenesis. In these experiments, the active site cavity was widened through exchange of large with small residues, resulting in the discovery of two key residues for which such exchanges turned 7-epi-α-eudesmol synthase into a di- or sesterterpene synthase.