Spata-13,17-diene Synthase-An Enzyme with Sesqui-, Di-, and Sesterterpene Synthase Activity from Streptomyces xinghaiensis.

A terpene synthase from the marine bacterium Streptomyces xinghaiensis has been characterised, including a full structure elucidation of its products from various substrates and an in-depth investigation of the enzyme mechanism by isotope labelling experiments, metal cofactor variations, and mutation experiments. The results revealed an interesting dependency of Mn2+ catalysis on the presence of Asp-217, a residue that is occupied by a highly conserved Glu in most other bacterial terpene synthases.