异戊烯基转移酶(prenyltransferase)催化异戊烯基转移至异戊烯单元、芳香环或蛋白质上。芳香族异戊烯基转移酶将异戊烯单元融入含有芳环的化合物, 从而形成具有重要生物学功能的各类活性分子, 如泛醌、质体醌、维生素E、异戊烯黄酮类以及真菌代谢物等。该文综述了近年来植物和真菌芳香族异戊烯转移酶的分子生物学研究进展, 包括膜结合的参与质体醌生物合成的homogentisate solanesyltransferase、参与维生素E生物合成的homogentisate phytyltransferase、类黄酮异戊烯转移酶(flavonoid prenyltransferase)和可溶性的真菌吲哚异戊烯转移酶等。

Prenyltransferases catalyze prenyl groups to a wide variety of acceptors, such as isoprenoid groups, aromatic compounds, and proteins. Those that catalyze the attachment of a prenyl moiety to an aromatic nucleus are known as “aromatic prenyltransferases”. Prenylated aromatic compounds constitute a massive number of biologically active molecules such as ubiquinones, plastoquinones, vitamin E, prenylflavonoids and fungi metabolites. This paper presents advances in molecular studies of aromatic prenyltransferases in plants and fungi, focusing on membrane-bound homogentisate prenyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of plastoquinones and vitamin E, flavonoid prenyltransferases, and soluble indole prenyltransferases.