Cloning and heterologous expression of a cDNA encoding 1‐deoxy‐D‐xylulose‐5‐phosphate reductoisomerase of Arabidopsis thaliana1

Abstract
Various plant isoprenoids are synthesized via the non‐mevalonate pathway of isopentenyl diphosphate formation. In this pathway, 1‐deoxy‐D‐xylulose 5‐phosphate (DOXP), the first intermediate, is transformed to 2‐C‐methyl‐D‐erythritol 4‐phosphate (MEP) by an enzyme which was recently cloned from Escherichia coli. In order to find a plant homologue of this 1‐deoxy‐D‐xylulose 5‐phosphate reductoisomerase (DXR) we cloned a cDNA fragment from Arabidopsis thaliana which has high homology to the E. coli DXR. By expression of this fragment in E. coli we could demonstrate that it encodes a protein which transforms DOXP to MEP. The antibiotic fosmidomycin specifically inhibits this DXR enzyme activity.

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