Mechanistic Investigations of Two Bacterial Diterpene Cyclases: Spiroviolene Synthase and Tsukubadiene Synthase

Abstract The mechanisms of two diterpene cyclases from streptomycetes—one with an unknown product that was identified as the spirocyclic hydrocarbon spiroviolene and one with the known product tsukubadiene—were investigated in detail by isotope labeling experiments. Although the structures of the products were very different, the cyclization mechanisms of both enzymes proceed through the same initial cyclization reactions, before they diverge towards the individual products, which is reflected in the close phylogenetic relationship of the enzymes.