The enzyme participates in the biosynthesis of ergotamine, an ergot alkaloid produced by some fungi of the Clavicipitaceae family. The reaction is catalysed in the opposite direction to that shown. The substrate for the enzyme is an iminium intermediate that is formed spontaneously from chanoclavine-I aldehyde in the presence of glutathione.
New insights into ergot alkaloid biosynthesis in Claviceps purpurea: an agroclavine synthase EasG catalyses, via a non-enzymatic adduct with reduced glutathione, the conversion of chanoclavine-I aldehyde to agroclavine.
