Germacrene
Encyclopedia
Germacrenes are a class of volatile organic hydrocarbon
s, specifically, sesquiterpene
s. Germacrenes are typically produced in a number plant species for their antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, though they also play a role as insect pheromone
s. Two prominent molecules are germacrene A and germacrene D.
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
s, specifically, sesquiterpene
Sesquiterpene
Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be acyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations...
s. Germacrenes are typically produced in a number plant species for their antimicrobial and insecticidal properties, though they also play a role as insect pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
s. Two prominent molecules are germacrene A and germacrene D.
Structures
| Germacrene A | Germacrene B | Germacrene C | Germacrene D | Germacrene E |
Germacrene A
- Deguerry F, Pastore L, Wu S, Clark A, Chappell J, Schalk M. The diverse sesquiterpene profile of patchouli, Pogostemon cablin, is correlated with a limited number of sesquiterpene synthases. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2006 Oct 15;454(2):123-36.
- Omura H, Honda K, Feeny P. From terpenoids to aliphatic acids: further evidence for late-instar switch in osmeterial defense as a characteristic trait of swallowtail butterflies in the tribe papilionini. J Chem Ecol. 2006 Sep;32(9):1999-2012.
- Forcat S, Allemann RK. Stabilisation of transition states prior to and following eudesmane cation in aristolochene synthase. Org Biomol Chem. 2006 Jul 7;4(13):2563-7.
- Bertea CM, Voster A, Verstappen FW, Maffei M, Beekwilder J, Bouwmeester HJ. Isoprenoid biosynthesis in Artemisia annua: cloning and heterologous expression of a germacrene A synthase from a glandular trichome cDNA library. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2006 Apr 15;448(1-2):3-12.
- Lou Y, Baldwin IT. Silencing of a germin-like gene in Nicotiana attenuata improves performance of native herbivores. Plant Physiol. 2006 Mar;140(3):1126-36.
- Chang YJ, Jin J, Nam HY, Kim SU. Point mutation of (+)-germacrene A synthase from Ixeris dentata. Biotechnol Lett. 2005 Mar;27(5):285-8.
Germacrene D
- Rivero-Cruz B, Rivero-Cruz I, Rodriguez JM, Cerda-Garcia-Rojas CM, Mata R. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the active components of the essential oil from Brickellia veronicaefolia by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Nat Prod. 2006 Aug;69(8):1172-6.
- Yang FQ, Li SP, Chen Y, Lao SC, Wang YT, Dong TT, Tsim KW. Identification and quantitation of eleven sesquiterpenes in three species of Curcuma rhizomes by pressurized liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2005 Sep 15;39(3-4):552-8.
- Umlauf D, Zapp J, Becker H, Adam KP. Biosynthesis of the irregular monoterpene artemisia ketone, the sesquiterpene germacrene D and other isoprenoids in Tanacetum vulgare L. (Asteraceae). Phytochemistry. 2004 Sep;65(17):2463-70.
- Agnihotri VK, Thappa RK, Meena B, Kapahi BK, Saxena RK, Qazi GN, Agarwal SG. Essential oil composition of aerial parts of Angelica glauca growing wild in North-West Himalaya (India). Phytochemistry. 2004 Aug;65(16):2411-3.
- Raal A, Paaver U, Arak E, Orav A. Content and composition of the essential oil of Thymus serpyllum L. growing wild in Estonia. Medicina (Kaunas). 2004;40(8):795-800.
- He X, Cane DE. Mechanism and stereochemistry of the germacradienol/germacrene D synthase of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). J Am Chem Soc. 2004 Mar 10;126(9):2678-9.
- Arimura, G-I., Huber, DPW, Bohlmann, J. Forest tent caterpillars (Malacosoma disstria) induce local and systemic diurnal emissions of terpenoid volatiles in hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x deltoides): cDNA cloning, functional characterization, and patterns of gene expression of (-)-germacrene D synthase, PtdTPS1. The Plant Journal 2004 37: 603-616.