humulene and thujopsene

E-(β)-caryophyllene is a sesquiterpene volatile emitted by plants and involved in many ecological interactions within and among trophic levels and it has a kairomonal activity for many insect species. In grapevine it is a key compound for host-plant recognition by the European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana, together with other two sesquiterpenes. In grapevine E-(β)-caryophyllene synthase is coded by the VvGwECar2 gene, although complete characterization of the corresponding protein has not yet been achieved. Here we performed the characterization of the enzyme after heterologous expression in E. coli, which resulted to produce in vitro also minor amounts of the isomer α-humulene and of germacrene D. The pH optimum was estimated to be 7.8, and the K

Topics: Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; Arabidopsis; Escherichia coli; Monocyclic Sesquiterpenes; Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; Polyisoprenyl Phosphates; Sesquiterpenes; Stereoisomerism; Vitis; Volatile Organic Compounds