IPP isomerase

The CPPase substrate DMAPP (15) is formed from isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) (14) via the IPP isomerase reaction. It had been assumed that IPP was generated only via mevalonic acid (12) (Fig. 2), but Rohmer discovered another route, 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (13) (MEP) pathway (Fig. 2) [22, 23]. A key step in the MEP pathway is the reaction catalyzed by 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS), which combines hydroxyethyl thiamine pyrophosphate (hydroxyethyl TPP) generated from pyruvic acid (17) and TPP with glyceral-dehyde 3-phosphate (18) to yield 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate (19) containing five carbons. The mevalonate pathway operates in the cytosol of plants and animals, whereas the MEP pathway is present in the plastid of plants or in eubacteria [24-27]. 

Prenylation, the key step in terpene biosynthesis, is catalyzed by prenyltransferases. These enzymes are responsible for the condensation of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) with an allyl pyrophosphate, thus yielding isoprenoids. Numerous studies have been performed with fluorinated substrates in order to determine the mechanism of the reactions that involve these enzymes prenyltransferases, farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FDPSase), famesyltransferase (PFTase), and IPP isomerase. These studies are based on the potential ability of fluorine atoms to destabilize cationic intermediates, and then slow down S l type processes in these reactions. 

Fig. 11 Natural rubber is produced from a side branch of the ubiquitous isoprenoid pathway, with 3-hydroxy-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) as the key intermediate derived from acetyl-CoA by the general mevalonic-acid pathway. Mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MPP-D) produces IPP, which is isomeiized to DMAPP by IPP isomerase (IPI). IPP is then condensed in several steps with DMAPP to produce GPP, FPP and GGPP by the action of a trani-prenyltransferase (TPT). The cA-l,4-polymeiization that yields natural rubber is catalyzed by cA-prenyltransferase (CPT), which uses the non-allylic IPP as substrate. Reprinted from [248], with permission from Elsevier...

The IBP and its products are displayed in Figure 12.1. HMG-CoA, ultimately derived from acetyl-CoA is converted to mevalonate via the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) [8]. This reaction is the rate-limiting step in the pathway. Mevalonate is then phosphorylated via mevalonate kinase (MK) to yield 5-phosphomevalonate [9]. IPP is formed following additional phosphorylation and decarboxylation steps [10]. Isomerization of IPP via the enzyme IPP isomerase yields DMAPP [11]. In mammals, the enzyme farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FDPS) catalyzes the synthesis of both GPP and FPP [12]. In plants, a separate GPP synthase has been identified [13]. GPP is a key intermediate in plants as it serves as the precursor for all monoterpenes. In animals, however, GPP appears to serve only as an intermediate in the synthesis of FPP. Very low basal levels of GPP have been measured in cell culture, although cellular GPP levels can become markedly increased in the setting of FDPS inhibition [14]. 

The isomerization of isopentenyl diphosphate to dimethylallyl diphos phate is catalyzed by IPP isomerase and occurs through a carbocation pathway Protonation of the IPP double bond by a hydrogen-bonded cysteine residue ir the enzyme gives a tertiary carbocation intermediate, which is deprotonated b a glutamate residue as base to yield DMAPP. X-ray structural studies on tht enzyme show that it holds the substrate in an unusually deep, well-protectec pocket to shield the highly reactive carbocation from reaction with solvent oi other external substances. 

Mevalonate kinase Phosphomevalonate kinase Mevalonate PP decarboxylase GPP synthase IPP isomerase FPP synthase Squalene synthase... 

Isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) isomerase catalyzes the conversion of IPP to dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), an early step in isoprenoid metabolism (Equation (25)). 

DMAPP is a precursor of many isoprenoid compounds including carotenoids, sterols, and ubiquinones. IPP isomerase is an essential enzyme in organisms that use the mevalonate pathway to synthesize isoprenoid units, making the enzymes from S. pneumoniae and S. aureus interesting drug targets. 

Two isozymes of IPP isomerase have been identified. Type I IPP isomerase, an enzyme containing two divalent metal ions (Zn " " and Mg ), has been studied for decades. More recently, type II IPP isomerases have been identified. " These enzymes require Mg " " and reduced FMN to be active,even though the overall reaction has no redox change. 

The mechanism of type II IPP isomerase is currently not known. Two mechanisms have been proposed. Epoxy and fluorinated substrate analogues have been used to probe the mechanism of type II IPP isomerase. These compounds were irreversible inhibitors of the enzyme forming N5 covalent adducts with the reduced flavin. These studies were taken as evidence of a protonation/deprotonation mechanism in which protonation of the double bond of IPP is followed by deprotonation of the carbocation intermediate to form DMAPP, similar to the mechanism of type I IPP isomerase. Conversely, a radical mechanism has been... 

IPP isomerase activity was also determined in 5-day-old C. roseus suspension-cultured cells, treated with a Pythium aphanidermatum elicitor preparation. A slight inhibition of the enzyme was observed during the first 120 h after elicitor treatment (99). 

Prenyltransferase activities have been studied in C. roseus both at the enzyme level and at the product level. Biosynthetic capabilities were investigated by incubating [1- C]IPP with aliquots of cell-free homogenates prepared from P. aphanidermatum treated and untreated suspension-cultured cells of C. roseus. After elicitation, the total incorporation of IPP into prenyl lipids was decreased, in particular into squalene. But the incorporation of IPP into some (as yet unidentified) compounds was increased (99). The prenyltransferases and subsequent enzyme activities are relatively easily extracted and remain complexed so that the product of one enzyme can be used as a substrate for the next enzyme. With an assay for these enzymes as described in detail in Threlfall and Whitehead (101), about a dozen enzyme activities could be detected in series using cell-free preparations of elicited Tabemaemontana divaricata cells (27). In the elicited C. roseus cells, the activities of IPP isomerase, famesyl diphosphate synthase, squalene synthase, squalene-2,3-epoxidase (and probably also a squalene-2,3-epoxide cyclase) were thus detected. Compared with the control nontreated cells, squalene production seemed to be reduced particularly (99). 

For C. roseus suspension-cultured cells, elicitation with fungal elicitors results in the induction of TDC activity (99,186,202,203,284,329-331). This is due to the induction of expression of the Tdc gene. Similarly, SSS activity is induced (202,203,284,329,330). The induction by the Pythium aphanider-matum or yeast elicitor of the transcription of both genes is not affected by cycloheximide that is, the induction is independent of de novo protein biosynthesis, and thus follows an already available signal-transduction chain. The response is quite fast, for the enhanced transcription can already be measured 15 min after elicitation (202,203). Also, the NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase mRNA level is induced by elicitation with fungal elicitors (113). Moreno et al (99,151) measured activities of a number of enzymes involved in secondary metabolism in C. roseus before and after elicitation with a P. aphanidermatum preparation. GlOH activity was found to be slightly decreased by elicitation and IPP-isomerase showed similar behavior. The pattern of terpenoids formed by the crude enzyme extracts from elicited and nonelicited cells was different. The total incorporation decreased, that is, the activities of the enzymes of the terpenoid pathway were lower. The relative incorporation decreased particularly for squalene. 

Fig. 1. Biosynthesis of terpenoids and meroterpenoids, emphasizing the central position of the enzyme IPP isomerase.

Isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) isomerase (EC 5.3.3.2) catalyses the interconversion of IPP and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). During a growth cycle of a suspension culture of C. roseus, relatively highest IPP isomerase activity was found between 4 and 6 days after subculture about 20 pkat/mg protein. By Western blot analysis, using purified polyclonal antibodies raised against IPP isomerase from Capsicum annuum chloroplasts, two isoforms of IPP isomerase were detected in the C. roseus extracts [13]. 

Fig. 5.3 Carotenoid biosynthesis in maize endosperm. Compounds IPP, isopentenyl pyrophosphate FPP, famesyl pyrophosphate GGPP, geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate DMAPP, dimethallyl pyrophosphate. Carotenoid biosynthetic pathway enzymes PSY, phytoene synthase PDS, phytoene desaturase ZDS, zetacarotene desaturase ISO, carotene isomerase LCY-B, lycopene beta cyclase LCY-E, lycopene epsilon cyclase HYD-B, beta-carotene hydroxylase HYD-E, alpha-carotene hydroxylase Isonrenoid biosynthetic pathway enzymes IPPI (IPP isomerase) GGPPS (GGPP synthase). Structures are not representative of the geometrical isomer substrates (e.g. Z-phytoene is a bent structure).

Four molecules of IPP, one of which is an isomer produced by IPP isomerase (IPPI) are combined to produce the twenty-carbon isoprenoid, GGPP (geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate). This step is mediated by GGPP synthase (GGPPS). Light-induced activation of IPPI has been associated with the phytochrome-... 

After 1,3-allylic isomerization of IPP to dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) by the enzyme IPP isomerase, another IPP unit is added to yield Cio geranylpyro-phosphate (GPP). 

In addition to the formation of IPP (12), initiation includes as well the formation of dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) (13) by isomerization of IPP, catalyzed by IPP isomerase. 

Tangpakdee also assumed that molecular weight could be regulated by the activity of IPP isomerase, which is necessary to produce DMAPP, and... 

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