The mevalonate-independent 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis is essential in many eubacteria, plants, and the malaria parasite. The LytB gene is involved in the trunk line of the MEP pathway.

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2: Studies on the nonmevalonate terpene biosynthetic pathway: metabolic role of IspH (LytB) protein. Rohdich F, Hecht S, Gartner K, Adam P, Krieger C, Amslinger S, Arigoni D, Bacher A, Eisenreich W Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002;99:1158-11563. PMID:11818558

3: Identification of (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate as a major activator for human gammadelta T cells in Escherichia coli. Hintz M, Reichenberg A, Altincicek B, Bahr U, Gschwind RM, Kollas AK, Beck E, Wiesner J, Eberl M, Jomaa H FEBS Lett 2001;509:317-322. PMID:11741609

4: The lytB gene of Escherichia coli is essential and specifies a product needed for isoprenoid biosynthesis. McAteer S, Coulson A, McLennan N, Masters M J Bacteriol 2001;183:7403-7407. PMID:11717301

5: LytB, a novel gene of the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. Altincicek B, Kollas A, Eberl M, Wiesner J, Sanderbrand S, Hintz M, Beck E, Jomaa H FEBS Lett 2001;499:37-40. PMID:11418107

6: Evidence of a role for LytB in the nonmevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis. Cunningham FX Jr, Lafond TP, Gantt E J Bacteriol 2000;182:5841-5848. PMID:11004185