Terpene Biosynthesis in Red Algae Is Catalyzed by Microbial Type But Not Typical Plant Terpene Synthases

Red algae (Rhodophyta) and land plants belong to the monophyletic clade Archaeplastida, and taxa of both groups are rich producers of terpene secondary metabolites. The terpene carbon skeletons of land plants are made by two types of terpene synthases: typical plant terpene synthases and microbial-type terpene synthases (MTPSLs); however, terpene biosynthesis in red algae is poorly understood. By systematic sequence analysis of seven genomes and...