Studies on isoprenoid biosynthesis with bacterial intact cells.

For the study on the regulation of isoprenoid biosynthesis with intact cells, some strains of bacteria capable of growing on mevalonate as a sole carbon source were isolated from soil. Many of them incorporated [14C]-mevalonate, [14C]isopentenyl- and [14C]farnesyl pyrophosphates into the cells. However, radioactivity was found in their degradation products but not in isoprenoids. Addition of [14C]isopentenyl pyrophosphate, farnesyl pyrophosphate and Mg2+ ions in combination to the culture of a strain of Arthrobacter gave rise to 14C-incorporation into isoprenoids. Radioactivity was found in polyprenol, its pyrophosphate, monophosphate and fatty acid esters. The reactions of isopentenyl- and farnesyl pyrophosphates syntheses seemed to be rate-limiting steps.