MOLECULE

Beta-maaliene

Beta-maaliene belongs to the class of organic compounds known as eudesmane, isoeudesmane or cycloeudesmane sesquiterpenoids. These are sesquiterpenoids with a structure based on the eudesmane skeleton. Sesquiterpenoids are terpenes that contain 15 carbon atoms and are comprised of three isoprene units. The biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes is known to occur mainly through the mevalonic acid pathway (MVA), in the cytosol. However, recent studies have found evidence of pathway crosstalk with the methyl-eritritol-phosphate (MEP) pathway in the plastid (PMID: 19932496, 17710406). Farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) is a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of cyclic sesquiterpenes. FPP undergoes several cyclization reactions to yield a diverse number of cyclic arrangements. Beta-maalinene is a sesquiterpenoid found in the essential oil from root of Dahurian angelica (PMID: 21657081) and also as a volatile component of cannabis samples (PMID: 26657499).