Concepedia

Abstract

The missing link in the new deoxyxylulose phosphate metabolic pathway leading to the biosynthesis of plant terpenoids has been identified. The intermediate between the cyclic diphosphate 1 and the basic isoprenoid building blocks dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate has been shown for the first time to be (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate (2) by incorporation of tritium-labeled 2 into phytoene.