Developing TeroENZ and TeroMAP modules for the terpenome research platform TeroKit

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Natural Product Chemistry
• Bioinformatics and Cheminformatics

Background:

• Terpenoids constitute the largest class of natural products, derived from a complex enzymatic biosynthetic pathway.
• Existing resources lack a comprehensive database for enzymes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis, hindering research and discovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a centralized, comprehensive database for enzymes in terpenoid biosynthesis.
• To facilitate enzyme mining, metabolic engineering, and the discovery of novel terpenoid-derived natural products.

Main Methods:

• Construction of the TeroENZ database, integrating 13,462 enzymes, 2541 species, and 4293 reactions from literature and public databases.
• Classification of enzymes by catalytic function (e.g., cyclase, oxidoreductase, transferase) and species.
• Development of TeroMAP for visualizing terpenoid enzymatic reactions in an interactive network, linked with the TeroMOL compound database.
• Integration of all resources into the TeroKit web server.

Main Results:

• TeroENZ provides a curated collection of terpenoid biosynthetic enzymes, facilitating efficient retrieval and download.
• Enzymes are meticulously classified by reaction type and species, enhancing usability.
• TeroMAP offers an interactive network of terpenoid enzymatic reactions, connecting enzymes and compounds.
• The TeroKit web server integrates these resources, offering a unified platform for terpenoid research.

Conclusions:

• TeroENZ, TeroMAP, and TeroKit represent a significant advancement for the terpenoid research community.
• These integrated resources empower researchers in enzyme mining, metabolic engineering, and the discovery of new natural products.
• The developed platform streamlines access to crucial data, accelerating innovation in terpenoid science.