Promiscuous terpene synthases from Prunella vulgaris highlight the importance of substrate and compartment switching in terpene synthase evolution

What is it about?

The mint family is extremely rich in diterpenoid specialized metabolites, yet their biosynthesis is only understood in a few examples. We report discovery of the enzyme forming the rare skeleton shared by vulgarisin diterpenoids in common selfheal. Our findings support an emerging pattern of repeated and independent evolution in different plant families.

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