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Biosynthesis of cytokinins

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Abstract

Cytokinins are adenine derivatives with an isoprenoid side chain and play an essential role in plant development. Plant isopentenyltransferases that catalyze the first and rate-limiting steps of cytokinin biosynthesis have recently been identified. Unlike bacterial enzymes, which catalyze the transfer of the isopentenyl moiety from dimethylallyldiphosphate (DMAPP) to the N 6 position of adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP), plant enzymes catalyze the transfer of the isopentenyl moiety from DMAPP preferentially to ATP and to ADP. The isopentenylated side chain is hydroxylated to form zeatin-type cytokinins. An alternative pathway, in which a hydroxylated side chain is directly added to the N 6 position of the adenine moiety, has also been suggested.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Thomas Moritz and Goran Sandberg for allowing me to cite unpublished data.

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  1. Tatsuo Kakimoto

    Present address: Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Science and Technology Corporation, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan

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  1. Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan

    Tatsuo Kakimoto

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Kakimoto, T. Biosynthesis of cytokinins. J Plant Res 116, 233–239 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-003-0095-5

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