title: A functional genomics approach to tanshinone biosynthesis provides stereochemical insights.
abstract: Tanshinones are abietane-type norditerpenoid quinone natural products that are the bioactive components of the Chinese medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. The initial results from a functional genomics-based investigation of tanshinone biosynthesis, specifically the functional identification of the relevant diterpene synthases from S. miltiorrhiza, are reported. The cyclohexa-1,4-diene arrangement of the distal ring poises the resulting miltiradiene for the ensuing aromatization and hydroxylation to ferruginol suggested for tanshinone biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Matthew L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hillwig
authors.forename: Luqi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guanghong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Xueyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jianqiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Reuben J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D023281:Genomics; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D045784:Abietanes; D001685:Biological Factors; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C021751:tanshinone