Substrate Specificities of E-and Z-Farnesyl Diphosphate Synthases with Artificial Substrates

Abstract

Here, to assess substrate specificities of E-and Z-farnesyl diphosphate synthases from Bacillus stearothermophilus and Thermobifida fusca, we examined the reactivities of isopentenyl diphosphate homologs having an alkyl group at the 3-position. E- and Z-FPP synthase reactions of geranyl diphosphate (GPP) with 3-ethylisopentenyl diphosphate produced E- and Z-3-ethylfarnesyl diphosphates (yield: 70.8, and 11.3, respectively). The E-FPP synthase reaction of GPP with 3-propylisopentenyl diphosphate produced E-3-propylfarnesyl diphosphate (yield: 40.1) however, when reacting GPP with 3-propylisopentenyl diphosphate by Z-FPP synthase reaction, only trace product was acquired. Further, neither E- nor Z-FPP synthase reaction of GPP with 3-butylisopentanyl diphosphate produced any product.