title: Breaking new ground in the regulation of the early steps of plant isoprenoid biosynthesis.
abstract: The common metabolic precursors used for the production of all isoprenoid compounds are synthesized by two unrelated pathways in plants. The methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway produces these precursors in the plastid, whereas the biosynthesis of non-plastidial isoprenoids relies on the operation of the mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway. Despite the physical separation of the two pathways, some interaction exists at molecular and metabolic levels. Recent results have provided strong evidence that a high degree of control over each individual pathway takes place at the post-translational level. In particular, new mechanisms regulating the levels and activity of rate-determining enzymes have been unveiled. Current challenges include the study of the subcellular operation of the MEP and MVA pathways and their coordination with upstream and downstream pathways that supply their substrates and consume their products.
authors.affiliation: Program of Plant Metabolism and Metabolic Engineering, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, E-08193, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: manuel.rodriguez@cragenomica.es.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Concepción
authors.affiliation: Program of Plant Metabolism and Metabolic Engineering, Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, E-08193, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boronat
mesh_terms: D004896:Erythritol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D008798:Mevalonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D013403:Sugar Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C114232:2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphate; D013403:Sugar Phosphates; D013729:Terpenes; D004896:Erythritol; D008798:Mevalonic Acid