Figure 4 The synthesis of terpenoids in S. rosmarinus
Tissue-specific relative expression profiles (red–blue scale) of genes implicated in terpenoid biosynthesis (heat map). Intermediates are shown in black, and the enzymes involved at each step are shown in gray. The genes involved in the pathways exhibit high level of expression, which may contribute to the biosynthesis of large amounts of terpenes. Monoterpene was biosynthesized by MVA pathway in cytoplasm, and diterpene was biosynthesized by MEP pathway in plastid, framed with green box. Grey boxes represent the genes on MVA pathway of S. rosmarinus (left) and S. miltiorrhiza (right), and light green boxes represent the genes on MEP pathway of S. rosmarinus (left) and S. miltiorrhiza (right). All genes involved in the pathways of MEP and MVA almost expanded in S. rosmarinus . MVA pathway mevalonate pathway, MEP pathway mevalonate-independent (deoxyxylulose phosphate) pathway, R root, S stem, L leaves.