Biosynthetic Evidence Supporting the Generation of Terpene Chemodiversity in Marine Mollusks of the genus Doriopsilla

This paper reports the study of terpene biosynthesis in the marine nudibranch Doriopsilla pelseneeri. In ViVo feeding experiments with 13C-glucose proved the de noVo origin of the terpene metabolites via a mevalonate pathway. Characterization of the stereochemical relationship of the new acetyl pelseneeriols (7 and 8) suggests a two-step mechanism for the sesquiterpene cyclization, leading to a slight refinement of terpene tailoring in this family of marine invertebrates.