Biosynthesis ginkgolide

While Ginkgo biloba achieves total biosynthesis of ginkgolides with great ease, it is only recently that chemical synthesis of these compounds has been accomplished. Initially, only the synthesis of hexahydro-5/f-dicyclopen-ta[6,clfuran-5a(6//)-ol, which represents the main framework of ginkgolides (rings A,B,D), was achieved [185]. Recently, however, using a sophisticated... 

Recently, a key player in the ginkgolide biosynthesis has been isolated and characterized A cDNA that encodes G. biloba levopimaradiene synthase, a diterpene synthase involved in ginkgolide biosynthesis, was isolated and characterized. Similarly, a new geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase gene from G. biloba, was characterized. ... 

Schwarz, M. Arigoni, D. Ginkgolide biosynthesis. In Comprehensive Natural Products Chemistry. Oxford, UK Elsevier, 1999, 367-400. 

Schepmann, H. G. Pang, J. Matsuda, S. P. T. Cloning and characterization of Ginkgo biloba levopimaradiene synthase, which catalyzes the first comitted step in ginkgolide biosynthesis. Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 2001, 392 263-269. 

Nakanishi K, Habaguchi K 1971 Biosynthesis of ginkgolide B, its diterpenoid nature, and origin of the tert-butyl group. J Am Chem Soc 93 3546-3547... 

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