Trichodiene synthase

In enzymology, a trichodiene synthase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction


 * trans,trans-farnesyl diphosphate $$\rightleftharpoons$$ trichodiene + diphosphate

Hence, this enzyme has one substrate, trans,trans-farnesyl diphosphate, and two products, trichodiene and diphosphate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically those carbon-oxygen lyases acting on phosphates. The systematic name of this enzyme class is trans,trans-farnesyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (cyclizing, trichodiene-forming). Other names in common use include trichodiene synthetase, sesquiterpene cyclase, and trans,trans-farnesyl-diphosphate sesquiterpenoid-lyase. This enzyme participates in terpenoid biosynthesis.

Structural studies
As of late 2007, 9 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes, , , , , , , , and.