4.2.3.46 physiological function differences in the relative emissions of (E)-beta-ocimene and (E,E)-alpha-farnesene from accession Wassilewskija, a high-(E)-beta-ocimene emitter, and accession Columbia, a trace-(E)-beta-ocimene emitter, are attributed to allelic variation of closely related, tandem-duplicated terpene synthase genes, TPS02 and TPS03. The Wassilewskija genome contains a functional allele of TPS02 but not of TPS03, while the opposite is the case for Columbia. Recombinant proteins of the functional Wassilewskija TPS02 and Columbia TPS03 genes both show (E)-beta-ocimene and (E,E)-alpha-farnesene synthase activities. Differential subcellular compartmentalization of the two enzymes in plastids and the cytosol is responsible for the ecotype-specific differences in (E)-beta-ocimene/(E,E)-alpha-farnesene emission 716597 4.2.3.46 physiological function the enzyme contributes to the resistance of soybean to Soybean cyst nematodes and is involved in synthesizing insect-induced volatiles 748904