Analysis of Sesquiterpene Product Arrays

Product array analyses were conducted using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine the terpenoid natural products produced by mutant proteins using procedures identical to those previously reported.²⁶ Briefly, the extracts of organic products resulting from incubation of mutant enzymes with FPP were analyzed using an Agilent 5977A Series GC/MSD instrument. Compounds were identified by comparison of their individual mass spectra and specific retention indices with those of authentic compounds in the MassFinder 4.0 Database. Product arrays for F96M EIZS and F96Q EIZS were analyzed in duplicate to confirm high levels of sesquisabinene synthase activity.