角鲨烯藿烷环化酶及其催化产物藿烷类化合物的研究进展

Research advances in squalene-hopene cyclase and its catalytic products hopanoids

摘要:

角鲨烯藿烷环化酶(squalene-hopene cyclase, SHC)是三萜环化酶家族的重要成员之一，主要催化细胞内重要线性前体分子角鲨烯(squalene)环化生成以藿烯(hopene)为主的一系列五环三萜类化合物——藿烷类化合物(hopanoids)。该类化合物主要在原核生物中存在，在细菌中较为保守，其结构与真核细胞细胞膜的甾醇类似，是细菌细胞膜的重要组成成分，参与调控膜流动性和渗透性、胁迫应激响应和耐药性等生理过程。本文从角鲨烯藿烷环化酶及催化产物藿烷类化合物的功能、结构等方面对其最新研究进展进行了综述。

Abstract:

Squalene-hopene cyclase (SHC) is an important member of the triterpene cyclase family. It mainly catalyzes the cyclogenesis of squalene, an important linear precursor in cells, to generate pentacyclic triterpenoids (hopanoids). These compounds mainly exist in prokaryotes and are relatively conserved and widely studied in bacteria. They are important components of bacterial cell membranes and their structures are similar to sterols in eukaryotic cell membranes. Hopanoids participate in physiological processes such as membrane fluidity and permeability, stress responses, and drug resistance. This paper reviews the research advances in SHC and its catalytic products hopanoids in terms of their functions and structures.