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Biosynthesis of isoprenoids in higher plant chloroplasts proceeds via a mevalonate‐independent pathway
Author(s) -
Lichtenthaler Hartmut K,
Schwender Jörg,
Disch Andrea,
Rohmer Michel
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(96)01404-4
Subject(s) - biosynthesis , mevalonate pathway , terpenoid , chloroplast , mevalonic acid , plastoquinone , biochemistry , prenylation , stereochemistry , chemistry , biology , enzyme , thylakoid , gene
Isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) is the biological C 5 precursor of isoprenoids. By labeling experiments using [1‐ 13 C]glucose, higher plants were shown to possess two distinct biosynthetic routes for IPP biosynthesis: while the cytoplasmic sterols were formed via the acetate/mevalonate pathway, the chloroplast‐bound isoprenoids (β‐carotene, lutein, prenyl chains of chlorophylls and plastoquinone‐9) were synthesized via a novel IPP biosynthesis pathway (glyceraldehyde phosphate/pyruvate pathway) which was first found in eubacteria and a green alga. The dichotomy in isoprenoid biosynthesis in higher plants allows a reasonable interpretation of previous odd and inconclusive results concerning the biosynthesis of chloroplast isoprenoids, which so far had mainly been interpreted in the frame of models using compartmentation of the mevalonate pathway.