title: The function of terpene natural products in the natural world.
abstract: As the largest class of natural products, terpenes have a variety of roles in mediating antagonistic and beneficial interactions among organisms. They defend many species of plants, animals and microorganisms against predators, pathogens and competitors, and they are involved in conveying messages to conspecifics and mutualists regarding the presence of food, mates and enemies. Despite the diversity of terpenes known, it is striking how phylogenetically distant organisms have come to use similar structures for common purposes. New natural roles undoubtedly remain to be discovered for this large class of compounds, given that such a small percentage of terpenes has been investigated so far.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany. gershenzon@ice.mpg.de
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gershenzon
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dudareva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D015394:Molecular Structure; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D013729:Terpenes / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D001685:Biological Factors; D013729:Terpenes