Cell-free conversion of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate into beta-carotene in higher plants and its inhibitionby fosmidomycin

The presence of the deoxyxylulose pathway in chromo- and chloroplasts of va rious higher plants was demonstrated by the conversion of labelled 1-deoxy- D-xylulose 5-phosphate into beta-carotene and geranylgeraniol, in the prese nce of ATP. The antibiotic fosmidomycin inhibited the formation of terpenoi ds from 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate, whereas it did not affect the conve rsion of 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate or isopentenyl diphosphate int o terpenoids. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.