Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate
Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate is an isoprenoid precursor. It is a product of both the mevalonate pathway and the MEP pathway of isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis. It is an isomer of isopentenyl pyrophosphate and exists in virtually all life forms. The enzyme isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase catalyzes isomerization between DMAPP and IPP.
In the mevalonate pathway DMAPP is synthesised from mevalonic acid. In contrast, DMAPP is synthesised from HMBPP in the MEP pathway.
At present, it is believed that there is crossover between the two pathways in organisms
that use both pathways to create terpenes and terpenoids, such as in plants, and that DMAPP is the crossover product.
, dimethylallyl pyrophosphate, geranyl pyrophosphate and squalene shown. Some intermediates are omitted.
