Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Preparation of Enantiopure Non-Activated Aziridines and Synthesis of Biemamide B, D, and epiallo-Isomuscarine
Published on: June 13, 2022
β-Amyrin biosynthesis: catalytic mechanism and substrate recognition
1Graduate School of Science and Technology and Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University, Ikarashi 2-8050, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan. hoshitsu@agr.niigata-u.ac.jp.
Abstract:
The enzymatic polycyclization reactions catalyzed by oxidosqualene (OXSQ) cyclases (OSCs) proceed with complete regio- and stereospecificity, leading to the formation of new C-C bonds and chiral centers and to the generation of diverse polycyclic sterols and triterpenoids. The diverse structural array is remarkable, and approximately 150 different carbon frameworks have been found. Detailed investigations on squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC) and lanosterol synthase (LaS) have been reported, but progress in the study of β-amyrin synthase, which is ubiquitously found in plants, has lagged in comparison. In the past several years, remarkable advances in β-amyrin biosynthetic studies have been made. In this review, the catalytic mechanism and substrate recognition of β-amyrin synthase, as revealed by site-directed mutagenesis and substrate analog experiments, are outlined and compared with those of LaS and SHC to highlight the features of β-amyrin synthase.
Related Concept Videos
Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways
Allosteric Proteins-ATCase
Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of L-aspartate and carbamoyl phosphate to N-carbamoyl-L-aspartate. This reaction is the first step in pyrimidine biosynthesis. UTP and CTP, the end products of the pyrimidine synthesis...
Preparation of Amines: Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones
Preparation of 1° Amines: Azide Synthesis
Azide ions act as good nucleophiles and react with unhindered alkyl halides to form alkyl azides. Alkyl azides do not participate in further nucleophilic substitution reactions, thereby eliminating the chances of polyalkylated products. Alkyl azides are reduced by hydride-based reducing agents, like lithium aluminum...
Preparation of 1° Amines: Hofmann and Curtius Rearrangement Overview
Aldehydes and Ketones with Amines: Enamine Formation Mechanism

