title: Isoprenoid biosynthesis: manifold chemistry catalyzed by similar enzymes.
abstract: Isoprenoids comprise a family of more than 23,000 natural products, among them the precursors of cholesterol and taxol. The structures of three isoprenoid-cyclizing enzymes have recently been determined and here are placed in the greater context of isoprenoid biosynthesis. On the basis of reaction mechanisms, a subdivision into class I and class II enzymes is proposed. The chain folds of these enzymes also appear to fall into the same two distinct classes, suggesting that class I and class II enzymes have evolved separately.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D007535:Isomerases / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013729:Terpenes; D019883:Alkyl and Aryl Transferases; D007535:Isomerases