Facilitation of diphosphate group elimination from geranyl diphosphate by magnesium ion chelation in cyclic monoterpenoid biosynthesis

Abstract

The role of divalent metal ions in the biosynthesis of cyclic monoterpenoids has been investigated by an analysis of the ³¹P and ¹³C NMR spectra of geranyl diphosphate (GPP) in the presence and in the absence of Mg²⁺. This study revealed that Mg²⁺ binds to the diphosphate moiety of GPP in the ratio of 1 : 1, equidistantly from both phosphorus atoms, and that Mg²⁺ chelation weakens the C(1 )–O(5) bond of GPP, facilitating elimination of the diphosphate group.