CDP-ME synthetase is involved in mevalonate-independent isoprenoid production.
4-diphosphocytidyl-2-methyl-D-erythritol synthase (CDP-ME), also called 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate cytidylyltransferase catalyzes the third step in the alternative (non-mevalonate) pathway of Isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) biosynthesis: the formation of 4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol from CTP and 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate. This mevalonate independent pathway that utilizes pyruvate and glyceraldehydes 3-phosphate as starting materials for production of IPP occurs in a variety of bacteria, archaea and plant cells, but is absent in mammals. Thus, CDP-ME synthetase is an attractive targets for the structure-based design of selective antibacterial, herbicidal and antimalarial drugs.
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