InterPro domain: IPR044502

This entry represents a group of plant members of the UbiA family of prenyltransferases, including AtHST from Arabidopsis. AtHST catalyzes the prenylation and decarboxylation of homogentisate to form 2-methyl-6-solanesyl-1,4-benzoquinol, the first intermediate in plastoquinone-9 biosynthesis [ 1 ]. This entry also includes naringenin 8-dimethylallyltransferase [ 2 ], glycinol 4-dimethylallyltransferase [ 3 ] and 2-acylphloroglucinol 4-prenyltransferase [ 4 ], which share significant homology with homogentisate prenyltransferases.

Prenyltransferases (PTs) catalyse the regioselective transfer of prenyl moieties onto a wide variety of substrates and play an important role in many biosynthetic pathways. Plant aromatic PTs can be divided into two distinct sub‐groups: one is 4–hydroxybenzoate PTs, which are involved in ubiquinone (benzoquinone) and naphthoquinone derivatives localised in mitochondria or the endoplasmic reticulum, and the second sub‐group comprises members of the homogentisate PT (HGPT) family, which are involved in vitamin E and plastoquinone biosynthesis [ 5 ].

1. Catalytic reactions of the homogentisate prenyl transferase involved in plastoquinone-9 biosynthesis. J Biol Chem 285, 18191-8
2. Cloning and characterization of naringenin 8-prenyltransferase, a flavonoid-specific prenyltransferase of Sophora flavescens. Plant Physiol 146, 1075-84
3. Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA for pterocarpan 4-dimethylallyltransferase catalyzing the key prenylation step in the biosynthesis of glyceollin, a soybean phytoalexin. Plant Physiol 149, 683-93
4. A heteromeric membrane-bound prenyltransferase complex from hop catalyzes three sequential aromatic prenylations in the bitter acid pathway. Plant Physiol. 167, 650-9
5. A coumarin-specific prenyltransferase catalyzes the crucial biosynthetic reaction for furanocoumarin formation in parsley. Plant J 77, 627-38