Promiscuous Oxidosqualene Cyclases from Neoalsomitra integrifoliola Catalyzing the Formation of Tetracyclic, Pentacyclic, and Heterocyclic Triterpenes

Org Lett. 2024 Apr 19;26(15):3119-3123. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c00730. Epub 2024 Apr 8.

Abstract

Six oxidosqualene cyclases (NiOSC1-NiOSC6) from Neoalsomitra integrifoliola were characterized for the biosynthesis of diverse triterpene scaffolds, including tetracyclic and pentacyclic triterpenes from the 2,3-oxidosqualene (1) and oxacyclic triterpenes from the 2,3:22,23-dioxidosqualene (2). NiOSC1 showed high efficiency in the production of naturally rare (20R)-epimers of oxacyclic triterpenes. Mutagenesis results revealed that the NiOSC1-F731G mutant significantly increased the yields of (20R)-epimers compared to the wild type. Homology modeling and molecular docking elucidated the origin of the (20R)-configuration in the epoxide addition step.

MeSH terms

  • Intramolecular Transferases* / genetics
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Pentacyclic Triterpenes
  • Squalene / analogs & derivatives*
  • Triterpenes*

Substances

  • Triterpenes
  • oxidosqualene
  • Squalene
  • Pentacyclic Triterpenes
  • Intramolecular Transferases