Diversity in isoprene unit biosynthesis: The methylerythritol phosphate pathway in bacteria and plastids*
Michel Rohmer
Université Louis Pasteur/CNRS, Institut de Chemie, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, 67070 Strasbourg Cédex, France
Abstract: The long-overlooked methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway represents an alternative to the mevalonate route for the formation of isoprene units. It is found in most bacteria as well as in the plastids of all phototrophic organisms. A selection of significant steps of its discovery and elucidation are presented in this contribution, as well as a complete hypothetical biogenetic scheme for the last reduction step.
Keywords: methylerythritol phosphate; mevalonate; phototrophic; mevalonate-independent pathway; biosynthesis of isoprenoids.
*Pure Appl. Chem. 79, 467-823 (2007) pp. 467-823. An issue of reviews and research papers based on lectures presented at the 25th International Symposium on Chemistry of Natural Products (ISCNP-25) and 5th International Conference on Biodiversity (ICOB-5), held jointly in Kyoto, Japan, 23-28 July 2006, on the theme of natural products.