Studies on the biosynthesis of taxol: the taxane carbon skeleton is not of mevalonoid origin.

Biosynthesis of anthraquinones in cell cultures of Cinchona ‘Robusta’ proceeds via the methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway

“…The labeling pattern of IPP/DMAPP was interpreted on the basis of the metabolism of glucose in plants (Eisenreich et al, 1996). The label from [1-13 C]glucose is diverted to C-3 of triose phosphate/pyruvate and C-2 of acetyl-CoA.…”

“…In higher plants, it has been shown that the MEP pathway is also involved in the formation of isoprene (Zeidler et al, 1997), monoterpenoids (Eisenreich et al, 1997), diterpenoids (Eisenreich et al, 1996), as well as carotenoids, prenyl chain of chlorophylls and plastoquinone-9 . This result affords a further example of the MEP pathway shown to be involved in the formation of isoprenoid unit for AQ biosynthesis in higher plants.…”

Biosynthesis of the labdane diterpene marrubiin in Marrubium vulgare via a non-mevalonate pathway

“…Until now there have been only a few published examples from the plant kingdom showing that isoprenic units are not formed via MVA : diterpenes from secondary metabolism are ginkgolides from G. biloba (Ginkgoaceae, Gymnospermae) [13], taxan derivatives from Taxus chinensis (Taxaceae, Gymnospermae) [19] and now marrubiin from M. ulgare (Lamiaceae, Angiospermae). This was also demonstrated for phytol, carotenoids and the prenyl moiety of plastoquinone in the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus [20] and similar results were obtained with angiosperms [21].…”

“…Therefore the shoot cultures of M. ulgare are an advantageous system compared with the other systems that produce diterpenes of secondary metabolism. Whereas embryos of G. biloba were cultivated for 30 days [13] and cell-suspension cultures of T. chinensis for as much as 45 days [19], the results with shoot cultures from M.…”

Feedback Inhibition of Deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate Synthase Regulates the Methylerythritol 4-Phosphate Pathway

“…However, incorporation of 13 C-labeled precursors into polyterpenoids revealed that an alternative, mevalonate-independent pathway known as the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway also leads to the biosynthesis of IDP in bacteria (8,10,11). Further studies showed that the MEP pathway is also present in green algae (12) and higher plants (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Both the acetate/mevalonate and MEP pathways are present in plants; however, they are localized in the cytosol and the chloroplast, respectively (4,14).…”