Let us make an in-depth study of the terpenes. After reading this article you will learn about 1. Classification of Terpenes and 2. Biosynthesis of Terpenes.

Introduction to Terpenes:

These substances constitute the largest group of secondary plant products and show some of the properties of lipids. They are insoluble in water and are derived from the union of a common 5-carbon unit called as isoprene which has a branched carbon skeleton. Isoprene in turn is derived from basic 5-C unit called as isopentane.

Isopentane and Isoprene

Except for isoprene itself, the isoprenoids or terpenoids are dimers, trimers, tetramers or polymers in which isoprene units are usually joined in a head to tail manner:

However, sometimes due to extensive metabolic modifications it is not easily possible to mark out the original 5-C units in isoprenoids.

Classification of Terpenes:

Terpenes are classified into many categories based on the no. of carbon atoms and iso­prene residues present in their structure:

(i) Monoterpenes. They consist of 10-C atoms or two isoprene residues.

(ii) Sesquiterpenes. These contain 15-C atoms or three isoprene residues.

(iii) Diterpenes. These contain 20-C atoms or four isoprene residues.

(iv) Triterpenes. These consist of 30-C atoms or six isoprene units.

(v) Tetraterpenes. These consist of 40-C atoms or eight isoprene residues.

(vi) Polyterpenes. These consist of large number of isoprene residues.

Biosynthesis of Terpenes:

Biosynthesis of terpenes may be studied in two parts:

(A) Synthesis of Activated 5-C units:

Isoprene unit is almost entirely synthesized from acetyl-CoA through mevalonic acid pathway as shown in Fig. 24.2 Three acetyl-CoA molecules are joined together in stepwise manner to from a six-carbon intermediate, mevalonic acid. Mevalonic acid is then pyrophosphorylated utilizing 2 ATP molecules to form mevalonic acid pyrophosphate (MVA- PP).

Decarboxylation and dehydration of MVA-PP result in the formation of activated 5-C unit called as isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP). The latter can be isomerized to another activated 5- C unit called as dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DPP). Both these activated 5-C units are build­ing blocks of terpenes in plants.

Mevalonic acid pathway of hte synthesis

(B) Condensation of activated 5-C units IPP and DPP to form terpenes:

Terpenes are ultimately formed by condensation of activated 5-C units IPP and DPP as shown in Fig. 24.3. and briefly described below:

(i) IPP and DPP unite to form 10-C geranyl phyrophosphate (GPP) which is precursor of monoterpenes.

(ii) GPP unites with another molecule of IPP to give rise to 15-C farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) which is precursor of sesquiterpenes.

(iii) FPP unites with IPP to form 20-C compound geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) which is precursor of diterpenes.

(iv) FPP dimerises to form 30-C compound which after elimination of two pyrophosphate groups (2PP) gives rise to squalene. The latter is precursor of triterpenes and steroids.

(v) GGPP can dimerise to form 40-C compound which after elimination of two pyrophosphate groups (2PP) gives rise to phytoene. The latter is precursor of tetraterpenes.

(vi) Polyterpenes are polymers containing large number of isopentenyl units.

Biosynthesis of various categories of terpenes