title: Identification of gcpE as a novel gene of the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli.
abstract: The 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis is essential in most eubacteria and plants and has remarkable biotechnological interest. However, only the first steps of this pathway have been determined. Using bioinformatic and genetic approaches, we have identified gcpE as a novel gene of the MEP pathway. The distribution of this gene in bacteria and plants strictly parallels that of the gene encoding 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase, which catalyses the first committed step of the MEP pathway. Our data demonstrate that the gcpE gene is essential for the MEP pathway in Escherichia coli and indicate that this gene is required for the trunk line of the isoprenoid biosynthetic route.
authors.affiliation: Department de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Concepción
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seemann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rohmer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boronat
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004798:Enzymes; D004896:Erythritol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D017385:Sequence Homology; D013403:Sugar Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C114232:2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphate; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004798:Enzymes; D013403:Sugar Phosphates; C421242:hydroxymethylbutenyl 4-diphosphate synthase; D004896:Erythritol