isopentenyl pyrophosphate

Isopentenyl pyrophosphate is nature's basic 5 carbon building block of isoprene units. Examples of biomolecules synthesized from isopentenyl pyrophosphate (terpenes) include: 1) vitamin A & beta-carotene 2) vitamin E 3) vitamin K 4) vitamin D 5) ubiquinone* 6) cholesterol* a) adrenal steroids* b) gonadal steroids* 7) dolichol phosphate* (carrier in N-glycosylation of glycoproteins) 8) prenyl proteins 9) chlorophyll (side chain) 10) natural rubber * molecules synthesized in humans

Related

Asn glycosylation beta-carotene chlorophyll (Derifil) cholesterol biosynthesis dolichol phosphate glycoprotein isoprene prenyl protein terpene; polymer of isoprene ubiquinone; coenzyme Q (CoQ, CoQ10, MitoQ, ubidecarenone) vitamin A vitamin D vitamin E vitamin K

General

alkene; olefin intermediary metabolite pyrophosphate

References

Stryer Biochemistry WH Freeman & Co, New York, 1988 pg 571