Mevalonate-independent methylerythritol phosphate pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis. Elucidation and distribution

A long-overlooked metabolic pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis, the mevalonate-independent methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway, is present in many bacteria and in the chloroplasts of all phototrophic organisms. It represents an alternative to the well-known mevalonate pathway, which is present in animals, fungi, plant cytoplasm, archaebacteria, and some eubacteria. This contribution summarizes key steps of its elucidation and the state-of-the-art knowledge of this biosynthetic pathway, which represents a novel target for antibacterial and antiparasitic drugs.