Biosynthesis of the sesquiterpene botrydial in Botrytis cinerea. Mechanism and stereochemistry of the enzymatic formation of presilphiperfolan-8[beta]-ol

Presilphiperfolan-8[beta]-ol synthase, encoded by the BcBOT2 gene from the necrotrophic plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea, has catalyzed the multistep cyclization of farnesyl diphosphate to the tricyclic sesquiterpene alcohol presilphiperfolan-8[beta]-ol, the precursor of the phytotoxin botrydial. The results have described the conformation of enzyme-bound farnesyl diphosphate at the active site of presilphiperfolan-8[beta]-ol synthase.