Terpenoid

A natural or synthetic organic compound built from isoprene units or derived from terpenes, often modified by oxidation or rearrangement.

Isoprene: A five-carbon hydrocarbon whose carbon skeleton forms the repeating structural unit of many terpenes and terpenoids. Its five-carbon skeleton is the basic unit from which terpenoid frameworks are assembled.
Terpene synthase: An enzyme that converts prenyl diphosphates into cyclic or acyclic terpene skeletons. These enzymes build many carbon frameworks later classified as terpenoids.
Artemisinin: A sesquiterpene lactone used as a key antimalarial drug and derived from sweet wormwood. It is a medically important terpenoid whose peroxide group contributes to antimalarial activity.
Menthol: A cyclic monoterpenoid alcohol that produces a cooling sensation and occurs in mint oils. It exemplifies a small oxygenated terpenoid with a recognizable sensory effect.
Metabolic engineering: The redesign of cellular pathways to produce useful chemicals or improve biological functions. Engineers use it to increase microbial or plant production of valuable terpenoids.
Terpene: A hydrocarbon assembled from isoprene units, often distinguished from terpenoids by lacking added functional groups. Terpenoids commonly arise when terpene skeletons undergo chemical modification.
Prenylation: The covalent attachment of an isoprenoid group to a molecule, commonly mediated by prenyltransferase enzymes. Adding isoprenoid groups creates modified molecules with terpenoid-derived structures.
Paclitaxel: A diterpenoid anticancer drug that stabilizes microtubules and inhibits cell division. Its complex terpenoid structure supports a distinctive mechanism used in cancer treatment.
Limonene: A cyclic monoterpene found in citrus peels and used as a fragrance and flavor compound. Its comparison with oxygenated relatives illustrates the boundary between terpenes and terpenoids.
Synthetic biology: The design or redesign of biological systems using engineering principles and molecular tools. It offers ways to build new production systems for structurally complex terpenoids.

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