3-Alkyl group homologs of isopentenyl diphosphate were examined for the reactivity as substrates of the thermostable farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase of Bacillus stearothermophilus. Even 3-n-propyl- and 3-n-butyl-but-3-enyl diphosphates, which are hardly acceptable by animal FPP synthases, are accepted by this bacterial enzyme as substrates to react with dimethylallyl- and geranyl diphosphates, yielding 7-methyl-3-n-propylocta-2,6-dienyl- and 7,11-dimethyl-3-n-propyldodeca-2,6,10-trienyl diphosphate, respectively. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Specificity of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase for homoallylic substrate analogs
reaction with the allylic substrategeranyldiphosphate (GPP) that is catalyzed by GGPPase. GGPPase catalyzed the reaction of GPP with 3-desmethylisopentenyl diphosphate (but-3-enyl diphosphate) to yield 3-desmethylfarnesyl diphosphate (12.1%), as well as the reaction of GPP with 3-ethylbut-3-enyl diphosphate or 3-propylbut-3-enyl diphosphate to yield 3-ethylfarnesyl diphosphate (46.9%) or 3-propylfarnesyl