Characterization of a sabinene synthase gene from rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri).

We previously isolated two putative monoterpene synthase genes, RlemTPS1 and RlemTPS2, from rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri) and showed that gene expression of RlemTPS2 was induced by microbial attack. The protein product of RlemTPS2 was obtained using a prokaryotic expression system, and GC and GC-MS of monoterpene synthesis by RlemTPS2 determined that RlemTPS2 encodes a sabinene synthase. Sabinene has antifungal activity toward Alternaria alternata. Furthermore, site-directed mutagenesis identified one amino acid, Ile, located at the front of the metal ion binding motif as an important residue for the product specificity of sabinene synthase.