Squalene-hopene cyclase: final deprotonation reaction, conformational analysis for the cyclization of (3R,S)-2,3-oxidosqualene and further evidence for the requirement of an isopropylidene moiety both for initiation of the polycyclization cascade and for the formation of the 5-membered E-ring.

To provide insight into the polycyclization mechanism of squalene by squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC) from Alicyclobacilus acidocaldarius, some analogs of nor- and bisnorsqualenes were synthesized including the deuterium-labeled squalenes and incubated with the wild-type SHC, leading to the following inferences. (1) The deprotonation reaction for the introduction of the double bond of the hopene skeleton occurs exclusively from the Z-methyl group on the terminal double bond of squalene. (2) 3R-Oxidosqualene was folded in a boat conformation for the A-ring construction, while the 3S-form was in a chair structure.