More is better: the diversity of terpene metabolism in plants.

All plants synthesize a diverse array of terpenoid metabolites. Some are common to all, but many are synthesized only in specific taxa and presumably evolved as adaptations to specific ecological conditions. While the basic terpenoid biosynthetic pathways are common in all plants, recent discoveries have revealed many variations in the way plants synthesized specific terpenes. A major theme is the much greater number of substrates that can be used by enzymes belonging to the terpene synthase (TPS) family. Other recent discoveries include non-TPS enzymes that catalyze the formation of terpenes, and novel transport mechanisms.