The shikimate pathway is a primary metabolic pathway involved in the synthesis of aromatic compounds in plants, fungi, apicomplexan parasites and microbes. The absence of this pathway in animals makes it ideal for the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds and herbicides. Additionally, its branching into indole hormone synthesis and phenylpropanoid secondary metabolism makes this pathway attractive for metabolic engineering. Here, the focus is on the first step of the shikimate pathway catalyzed by DAHP synthase. This step consists of the condensation of phosphoenol pyruvate and erythrose-4-phosphate to make DAHP, which undergoes another six catalytic steps to synthesize chorismate, the precursor of the aromatic amino acids. Arabidopsis thaliana contains three DAHP synthase isozymes, which are known to indirectly regulate downstream pathways in response to wounding and pathogen stress. The model presented here proposes that DAHP synthase isozymes are regulated by the end products tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine.

The shikimate pathway is a primary metabolic pathway involved in the synthesis of aromatic compounds in plants, fungi, apicomplexan parasites and microbes. The absence of this pathway in animals makes it ideal for the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds and herbicides. Additionally, its branching into indole hormone synthesis and phenylpropanoid secondary metabolism makes this pathway attractive for metabolic engineering. Here, the focus is on the first step of the shikimate pathway catalyzed by DAHP synthase. This step consists of the condensation of phosphoenol pyruvate and erythrose-4-phosphate to make DAHP, which undergoes another six catalytic steps to synthesize chorismate, the precursor of the aromatic amino acids. Arabidopsis thaliana contains three DAHP synthase isozymes, which are known to indirectly regulate downstream pathways in response to wounding and pathogen stress. The model presented here proposes that DAHP synthase isozymes are regulated by the end products tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine.