Function
Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase or isoprenyl transferase or poly-cis-prenyltransferase or ditrans,polycis-undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase ((2E,6E) farnesyl diphosphate specific) (UPPS) catalyzes the consecutive condensation of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) with 8 molecules of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) to produce undecaprenyl pyrophosphate. Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate serves as a lipid carrier for peptidoglycan synthesis of bacterial cell wall[1]. UPPS or NUS1 is a subunit of cis-prenyltransferase[2]. Bisphosphonate drugs are UPP inhibitors.
Relevance
UPPS inhibitors are investigated as potential antibacterials[3].
Structural highlights
The of UPPS (water molecules are shown as red spheres) contains an [4].