Mechanistic Similarities of Sesquiterpene Cyclases PenA, Omp6/7, and BcBOT2 Are Unraveled by an Unnatural “FPP-Ether” Derivative

The sesquiterpene cyclases pentalenene synthase (PenA) and two Δ6-protoilludene synthases Omp6 and Omp7 convert a FPP ether into several new tetrahydrofurano terpenoids, one of which is also formed as the main product by the sesquiterpene cyclase BcBOT2. Thus, PenA, Omp6/7, and BcBOT2 follow closely related catalytic pathways and induce similar folding of their diphosphate substrates despite low levels of amino acid sequence similarity. Some of the new terpenoids show pronounced olfactoric properties.