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Promiscuity of terpene synthases results in the enormous diversity of terpenes found in nature. Multiproduct sesquiterpene synthase MtTPS5 isolated from Medicago truncatula generates 27 optically pure products from its natural substrate (2E,6E)-farnesyl diphosphate (FDP). In order to study the promiscuity of MtTPS5, (2Z,6E)-FDP, an analogue of presumptive reaction intermediates from natural reaction cascade, was utilized as a substrate. This stereoisomer induced a novel cyclization pathway leading to sesquiterpenes based on humulane, amorphene, and himachalane skeletons. Interestingly, none of these products matched those observed on incubation of MtTPS5 with natural (2E,6E)-FDP. Further determination of the absolute configuration of each product helped rebuild the stereochemical route of the reaction cascade. Interestingly, the presence of only one enantiomer of each product was observed, indicating the highly stereospecific nature of the enzymatic reaction. Substrate promiscuity of terpene synthases provides organism access to novel chemical bouquets of high optical purity by utilizing existing enzymes. The presence of this mechanism was indicated by the presence of these alternate products in natural herbivore-induced volatiles of M. truncatula.

Trifluoroselenomethionine (TFSeM), a new unnatural amino acid, was synthesized in seven steps from N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-l-aspartic acid tert-butyl ester. TFSeM shows enhanced methioninase-induced cytotoxicity, relative to selenomethionine (SeM), toward HCT-116 cells derived from human colon cancer. Mechanistic explanations for this enhanced activity are computationally and experimentally examined. Comparison of TFSeM and SeM by selenium EXAFS and DFT calculations showed them to be spectroscopically and structurally very similar. Nonetheless, when two different variants of the protein GB1 were expressed in an Escherichia coli methionine auxotroph cell line in the presence of TFSeM and methionine (Met) in a 9:1 molar ratio, it was found that, surprisingly, 85 % of the proteins contained SeM residues, even though no SeM had been added, thus implying loss of the trifluoromethyl group from TFSeM. The transformation of TFSeM into SeM is enzymatically catalyzed by E. coli extracts, but TFSeM is not a substrate of E. coli methionine adenosyltransferase.

The enormous diversity of terpenes found in nature is generated by enzymes known as terpene synthases, or cyclases. Some are also known for their ability to convert a single substrate into multiple products. This review comprises monoterpene and sesquiterpene synthases that are multiproduct in nature along with the regulation factors that can alter the product specificity of multiproduct terpene synthases without genetic mutations. Variations in specific assay conditions with focus on shifts in product specificity based on change in metal cofactors, assay pH and substrate geometry are described. Alterations in these simple cellular conditions provide the organism with enahnced chemodiversity without investing into new enzymatic architecture. This versatility to modulate product diversity grants organisms, especially immobile ones like plants with access to an enhanced defensive repertoire by simply altering cofactors, pH level and substrate geometry.

We describe the synthesis, reactivity, and antithrombotic and anti-angiogenesis activity of difluoroallicin (S-(2-fluoroallyl) 2-fluoroprop-2-ene-1-sulfinothioate) and S-2-fluoro-2-propenyl-l-cysteine, both easily prepared from commercially available 3-chloro-2-fluoroprop-1-ene, as well as the synthesis of 1,2-bis(2-fluoroallyl)disulfane, 5-fluoro-3-(1-fluorovinyl)-3,4-dihydro-1,2-dithiin, trifluoroajoene ((E,Z)-1-(2-fluoro-3-((2-fluoroallyl)sulfinyl)prop-1-en-1-yl)-2-(2-fluoroallyl)disulfane), and a bis(2-fluoroallyl)polysulfane mixture. All tested organosulfur compounds demonstrated effective inhibition of either FGF or VEG-mediated angiogenesis (anti-angiogenesis activity) in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) or the mouse Matrigel (R) models. No embryo mortality was observed. Difluoroallicin demonstrated greater inhibition (p < 0.01) versus organosulfur compounds tested. Difluoroallicin demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of angiogenesis in the mouse Matrigel (R) model, with maximal inhibition at 0.01 mg/implant. Allicin and difluoroallicin showed an effective antiplatelet effect in suppressing platelet aggregation compared to other organosulfur compounds tested. In platelet/fibrin clotting (anti-coagulant activity), difluoroallicin showed concentration-dependent inhibition of clot strength compared to allicin and the other organosulfur compounds tested. National Science Foundation (NSF) - CHE-0744578 - CHE-1265679 - CHE-1337594 - CHE-1429329 University at Albany Pharmaceutical Research Institute

Multiproduct terpene synthases TPS4-B73 and TPS5-Delprim from maize (Zea mays) catalyze the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate (FDP) and geranyl diphosphate (GDP) into a complex mixture of sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes, respectively. Various isotopic and geometric isomers of natural substrates like (2Z)-[2-(2)H]- and [2,4,4,9,9,9-(2)H6]-(GDP) and (2Z,6E)-[2-(2)H]- and [2,4,4,13,13,13-(2)H6]-(FDP) were synthesized analogous to presumptive reaction intermediates. On incubation with labeled (2Z) substrates, TPS4 and TPS5 showed much lower kinetic isotope effects than the labeled (2E) substrates. Interestingly, the products arising from the deuterated (2Z)-precursors revealed a distinct preference for cyclic products and exhibited an enhanced turnover on comparison with natural (2E)-substrates. This increase in the efficiency due to (2Z) configuration emphasizes the rate limiting effect of the initial (2E) → (2Z) isomerization step in the reaction cascade of the multiproduct terpene synthases. Apart from turnover advantages, these results suggest that substrate geometry can be used as a tool to optimize the biosynthetic reaction cascade towards valuable cyclic terpenoids.

The multiproduct sesquiterpene synthase MtTPS5 from Medicago truncatula catalyzes the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate (FDP) into a complex mixture of 27 terpenoids. 3-Bromo substrate analogues of geranyl diphosphate (3-BrGDP) and farnesyl diphosphate (3-BrFDP) were evaluated as substrates of MTPS5 enzyme. Kinetic studies demonstrated that these compounds were highly potent competitive inhibitors of the MtTPS5 enzyme with fast binding and slow reversibility. Since there is a lack of knowledge about the crystal structure of multiproduct terpene synthases, these molecules might be ideal candidates for obtaining a co-crystal structure with multiproduct terpene synthases. Due to the structural and mechanistic similarity between various terpene synthases we expect these 3-bromo isoprenoids to be ideal probes for crystal structure studies.

Multiproduct terpene synthases TPS4-B73 and TPS5-Delprim from Zea mays exhibit isotopically sensitive branching in the formation of mono- and sesquiterpene volatiles. The impact of the kinetic isotope effects and the stabilization of the reactive intermediates by hyperconjugation along with the shift of products from alkenes to alcohols are discussed.