Reaction: malonyl-CoA + 17,18-epoxy-17-hydroxycur-19-ene = CoA + prestrychnine
For diagram of reaction click here
Glossary: 17,18-epoxy-17-hydroxycur-19-ene = (19E)-18-hydroxycur-19-en-17-al = Wieland-Gumlich aldehyde
prestrychnine = 3-(17,18-epoxy-17-hydroxycur-19-en-1-yl)-3-oxopropanoic acid
Other name(s): Wieland-Gumlich aldehyde N-malonyltransferase
Systematic name: malonyl-CoA:17,18-epoxy-17-hydroxycur-19-ene N-malonyltransferase
Comments: The enzyme, characterized from the tree Strychnos nux-vomica, catalyses the last step in the biosynthesis of strychnine. The product, prestrychnine, undergoes a slow spontaneous decarboxylation and cyclization, forming strychnine.
Links to other databases: BRENDA, EXPASY, KEGG, MetaCyc, CAS registry number:
References:
1. Hong, B., Grzech, D., Caputi, L., Sonawane, P., Lopez, C.ER., Kamileen, M.O., Hernandez Lozada, N.J., Grabe, V. and O'Connor, S.E. Biosynthesis of strychnine. Nature 607 (2022) 617-622. [PMID: 35794473]