Trichodiene synthase: Mechanism-based inhibition of a sesquiterpene cyclase

The 10-cyclopropylidene analog of farnesyl diphosphate was shown to be a mechanism-based inhibitor of trichodiene synthase with an inactivation rate (kinact) of 0.010±0.0003 min−1 and an apparent KI of 663±75 nM. The presence of three anomalous sesquiterpene products detected in incubation mixtures indicate that the compound also serves as a substrate of the enzyme.