Description
Involved in the monoterpene degradation pathway of the actinomycete Rhodococcus erythropolis. The enzyme hydrolyses several alicyclic and 1-methyl-substituted epoxides, such as 1-methylcyclohexene oxide, indene oxide and cyclohexene oxide. It differs from the previously described epoxide hydrolases [EC 3.3.2.4 (trans-epoxysuccinate hydrolase), EC 3.3.2.6 (leukotriene-A4 hydrolase), EC 3.3.2.7 (hepoxilin-epoxide hydrolase), EC 3.3.2.9 (microsomal epoxide hydrolase) and EC 3.3.2.10 (soluble epoxide hydrolase)] as it is not inhibited by 2-bromo-4'-nitroacetophenone, diethyl dicarbonate, 4-fluorochalcone oxide or 1,10-phenanthroline. Both enantiomers of menth-8-ene-1,2-diol [i.e. (1R,2R,4S)-menth-8-ene-1,2-diol and (1S,2S,4R)-menth-8-ene-1,2-diol] are metabolized.