triterpène
Triterpenes are a large class of organic compounds derived from squalene. They are characterized by a skeleton of thirty carbon atoms, formed from six isoprene units. This structural basis leads to a diverse array of molecular architectures, with over 100 different skeletal frameworks identified. Triterpenes are found in a wide range of organisms, particularly in plants, fungi, and some bacteria.
In plants, triterpenes play various ecological roles, acting as defense mechanisms against herbivores and pathogens, and
The biosynthesis of triterpenes begins with the cyclization of squalene, a process catalyzed by enzymes called