Isoprenoid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli via the methylerythritol phosphate pathway: enzymatic conversion of methylerythritol cyclodiphosphate into a phosphorylated derivative of (E)-2-methylbut-2-ene-1,4-diol

A crude cell-free system from an Escherichia coli strain overexpressing the cluster containing the three genes yfgA, yfgB, and gcpE converted 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate (1) into a phosphorylated derivative of (E)-2-methylbut-2-ene-1,4-diol (6), which most probably represents a novel intermediate in the methylerythritol phosphate pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis. The free diol 6 was accumulated by phosphatase treatment of the crude enzyme preparation and was identified by comparison with a synthetic reference.