Mechanistic characterisation of a sesquiterpene synthase for asterisca-1,6-diene from the liverwort Radula lindenbergiana and implications for pentalenene biosynthesis

A sesquiterpene synthase from the liverwort Radula lindenbergiana was characterised and shown to produce the new sesquiterpene hydrocarbon (3R,9R)-asterisca-1,6-diene, besides small amounts of pentalenene. The biosynthesis of asterisca-1,6-diene was studied through isotopic labelling experiments, giving additional insights into the long discussed biosynthesis of pentalenene.