Substrate specificity of a ketosynthase domain involved in bacillaene biosynthesis

• Zhiyong Yin and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 734–740, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.67

• glutamate decarboxylase, and incubated with BaeJ-KS2. Substrate binding was demonstrated through 13C NMR analysis of the products against the background of various control experiments. Keywords: bacillaene; biosynthesis; enzyme mechanisms; isotopes; trans-AT polyketide synthases; Introduction Polyketides

Enzymes in biosynthesis

• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1131–1132, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.116

• as Escherichia coli or Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Besides in vitro studies with purified enzymes, heterologous expressions of whole pathways for the production of compounds is possible [6]. Enzyme mechanisms can be addressed through structure-based site-directed mutagenesis, which may also lead to

The stereochemical course of 2-methylisoborneol biosynthesis

• Binbin Gu,
• Anwei Hou and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 818–824, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.82

• 2-methylisoborneol from (S)-2-Me-LPP may be explained by isomerization to 2-Me-GPP and then to (R)-2-Me-LPP. Keywords: biosynthesis; enantioselective synthesis; enzyme mechanisms; gas chromatography; terpenoids; Introduction After its first discovery from Streptomyces [1][2], it has been

The enzyme mechanism of patchoulol synthase

• Houchao Xu,
• Bernd Goldfuss,
• Gregor Schnakenburg and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 13–24, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.2

• calculations; enzyme mechanisms; isotopes; terpenes; Introduction Patchouli oil, the essential oil of the shrub Pogostemon cablin, has a pleasant woody odour and is of high economic value for the perfumery and cosmetics industries. It is mainly composed of sesquiterpenes with patchoulol as the main compound

Targeting active site residues and structural anchoring positions in terpene synthases

• Anwei Hou and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2441–2449, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.161

• , turning SmTS1 from a sesterterpene into a diterpene synthase. This article gives rational explanations for these findings that may generally allow for protein engineering of other terpene synthases to improve their catalytic efficiency or to change their functions. Keywords: biosynthesis; enzyme

• mechanisms; isotopes; site-directed mutagenesis; terpenes; Introduction Terpenoids now span more than 90,000 known compounds, which makes them by far the largest class of natural products [1]. Despite this fact, all compounds are made from only two C5 building blocks, dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) and

Mechanistic investigations on multiproduct β-himachalene synthase from Cryptosporangium arvum

• Jan Rinkel and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1008–1019, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.99

• potential was also exploited in the preparation of sesquiterpene isotopomers, which provided insights into their EIMS fragmentation mechanisms. Keywords: enzyme mechanisms; isotopes; mass spectrometry; promiscuity; terpenes; Introduction The organic chemist usually prefers to work with pure compounds

Stereochemical investigations on the biosynthesis of achiral (Z)-γ-bisabolene in Cryptosporangium arvum

• Jan Rinkel and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 789–794, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.75

• ; carbocation chemistry; enzyme mechanisms; nerolidyl diphosphate; terpenes; Introduction Given the enormous impact of chirality within biomolecules for all forms of life, it is fascinating to see how nature is able to maintain and reproduce stereochemical information. This concept largely involves the

Phosphodiester models for cleavage of nucleic acids

• Satu Mikkola,
• Tuomas Lönnberg and
• Harri Lönnberg

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2018, 14, 803–837, doi:10.3762/bjoc.14.68

• , for stabilization of transition states may be elucidated and systematic variation of the basicity of the entering and departing nucleophile enables determination of the position of the transition state on the reaction coordinate. Such data is important on analyzing enzyme mechanisms based on

• transfer and metal ion binding, for stabilization of transition states may be elucidated and systematic variation of the basicity of the entering or departing nucleophile enables determination of the position of the transition state on the reaction coordinate. Such data is important on analyzing enzyme

• mechanisms based on synergistic participation of several catalytic entities. Many nucleases are metalloenzymes and small molecular models offer an excellent tool to construct models for their catalytic centers. The present review tends to be an up to date summary of what has been achieved by mechanistic

A detailed view on 1,8-cineol biosynthesis by Streptomyces clavuligerus

• Jan Rinkel,
• Patrick Rabe,
• Laura zur Horst and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 2317–2324, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.225

• in both cases a syn addition, as could be shown by incubation of (2-13C)geranyl diphosphate in deuterium oxide. Keywords: biosynthesis; enzyme mechanisms; isotopic labelling; stereochemistry; terpenes; Introduction Among all classes of natural products the climax of structural diversity and

• either enantiomer of the α-terpinyl cation (6, Scheme 1). Isotopic labelling experiments currently experience a revival [15] and are a very powerful method to follow the enzyme mechanisms of terpene cyclases [16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] including the stereochemical courses of the cyclisation

Mechanistic investigations on six bacterial terpene cyclases

• Patrick Rabe,
• Thomas Schmitz and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 1839–1850, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.173

• containing water or deuterium oxide allowed for detailed insights into the cyclisation mechanisms of the bacterial terpene cyclases. Keywords: absolute configuration; biosynthesis; enzyme mechanisms; structure elucidation; terpenes; Introduction Terpenes are structurally fascinating natural products with

• cyclases, purification and full structure elucidation of their products by NMR and determination of optical rotary powers. Furthermore, the enzyme mechanisms of the investigated terpene cyclases were studied by isotopic labelling experiments [34] similar to recently reported investigations on other

Art, auto-mechanics, and supramolecular chemistry. A merging of hobbies and career

• Eric V. Anslyn

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 362–376, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.40

• synthetic receptors we created were designed to answer basic science questions about enzyme mechanisms [19][47], rate enhancements from ion-pairing and general acid-catalysis [48], as well as reveal the strengths of hydrogen bonding. Interspersed among this work using synthetic receptors there was a

Recent highlights in biosynthesis research using stable isotopes

• Jan Rinkel and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 2493–2508, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.271

• a special emphasis on mechanistic surprises. Keywords: biosynthesis; enzyme mechanisms; isotopes; labeling experiments; natural products; Introduction This year may be seen as the 80th anniversary of using isotopes in biosynthetical and biochemical research. Since the first experiments performed

Enantioselective supramolecular devices in the gas phase. Resorcin[4]arene as a model system

• Caterina Fraschetti,
• Matthias C. Letzel,
• Antonello Filippi,
• Maurizio Speranza and
• Jochen Mattay

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 539–550, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.62

• biorecognition may require the partial or complete desolvation of the guest molecule and of the polar groups of the active site by greatly enhancing its reactivity [4]. An important step towards the elucidation of enzyme mechanisms requires a comprehensive study of the structure, dynamics, and reactivity of

Natural product biosyntheses in cyanobacteria: A treasure trove of unique enzymes

• Jan-Christoph Kehr,
• Douglas Gatte Picchi and
• Elke Dittmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 1622–1635, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.191

• nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and polyketide synthase (PKS) pathways and highlight the unique enzyme mechanisms that were elucidated or can be anticipated for the individual products. We further include ribosomal natural products and UV-absorbing pigments from cyanobacteria. Mechanistic insights