title: Isoprenoid biosynthesis in bacteria: two different pathways?
abstract: The biosynthesis of isopentenylpyrophosphate, a central intermediate of isoprenoid formation, was investigated in six different bacterial organisms. Cell-free extracts of Myxococcus fulvus, Staphylococcus carnosus, Lactobacillus plantarum and Halobacterium cutirubrum converted [14C]acetyl-CoA or [14C]hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA to [14C]mevalonic acid. Furthermore, [14C]mevalonic acid, [14C]mevalonate-5-phosphate and [14C]mevalonate-5-pyrophosphate were metabolized to [14C]isopentenylpyrophosphate. These data demonstrated the in vitro operation of acetoacetate pathway for the formation of isopentenylpyrophosphate in bacteria. In contrast, no intermediates of this reaction sequence could be detected using cell-free extracts of Zymomonas mobilis and Escherichia coli. These results indicate that at least two different pathways for the biosynthesis of isopentenylpyrophosphate are present in bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biotechnologie I, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, FRG.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horbach
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sahm
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Welle
mesh_terms: D000105:Acetyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A / Q000378:metabolism; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D006217:Halobacterium / Q000378:metabolism; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000378:metabolism; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016940:Myxococcus / Q000378:metabolism; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000378:metabolism; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism; D017355:Zymomonas / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000214:Acyl Coenzyme A; D045782:Hemiterpenes; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D013729:Terpenes; C008047:3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A; C004809:isopentenyl pyrophosphate; D000105:Acetyl Coenzyme A; D008798:Mevalonic Acid