Cyclization of a Prenylated Isoflavone via Enzymatic Epoxidation

Abstract

A cel1-free system of Botrytis cinerea, which can metabolize prenylated isoflavones into the corresponding dihydropyrano- and dihydrofurano-isoflavones, revealed the transformation to be initially catalyzed by a microsomal monooxygenase to yield an epoxy intermediate. The enzyme activity was markedly enhanced by pretreating the mycelia with 6-prenylnaringenin, and was dependent on NADPH and O₂.