Hosta

The enzyme taxadiene synthase (EC 4.2.3.17) catalyzes the chemical reaction

geranylgeranyl diphosphate taxa-4,11-diene + diphosphate

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically those carbon-oxygen lyases acting on phosphates. The systematic name of this enzyme class is geranylgeranyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (cyclizing, taxa-4,11-diene-forming). Other names in common use include geranylgeranyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (cyclizing, and taxadiene-forming). This enzyme participates in diterpenoid biosynthesis.

References

• Croteau R; Hezari, M; Zajicek, J; Vogel, BS; Lafever, RE; Lewis, NG; Croteau, R (1995). "Cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to taxa-4(5),11(12)-diene is the committed step of taxol biosynthesis in Pacific yew". J. Biol. Chem. 270 (15): 8686–90. doi:10.1074/jbc.270.15.8686. PMID 7721772.
• Hezari M, Lewis NG, Croteau R (1995). "Purification and characterization of taxa-4(5),11(12)-diene synthase from Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) that catalyzes the first committed step of taxol biosynthesis". Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 322 (2): 437–44. doi:10.1006/abbi.1995.1486. PMID 7574719.
• Lin X, Hezari M, Koepp AE, Floss HG, Croteau R (1996). "Mechanism of taxadiene synthase, a diterpene cyclase that catalyzes the first step of taxol biosynthesis in Pacific yew". Biochemistry. 35 (9): 2968–77. doi:10.1021/bi9526239. PMID 8608134.
• Hezari M, Ketchum RE, Gibson DM, Croteau R (1997). "Taxol production and taxadiene synthase activity in Taxus canadensis cell suspension cultures". Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 337 (2): 185–90. doi:10.1006/abbi.1996.9772. PMID 9016812.
• Coates RM, Williams RM, Croteau R (2000). "Intramolecular proton transfer in the cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate to the taxadiene precursor of taxol catalyzed by recombinant taxadiene synthase". Chem. Biol. 7 (12): 969–77. doi:10.1016/S1074-5521(00)00046-6. PMID 11137819.