萜烯和异戊二烯是一大类脂类,包括类胡萝卜素,也是最大的一类植物天然产品<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dubey VS, Bhalla R, Luthra R | title = An overview of the non-mevalonate pathway for terpenoid biosynthesis in plants | journal = Journal of Biosciences | volume = 28 | issue = 5 | pages = 637–46 | date = September 2003 | pmid = 14517367 | doi = 10.1007/BF02703339 | url = http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/sep2003/637.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070415213325/http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/sep2003/637.pdf | df = | archive-date = 15 April 2007 }}</ref>。这些化合物是由反应性前体焦磷酸异戊烯酯和焦磷酸二甲基烯丙基酯所提供的异戊二烯单元组装和改性而成。这些前体可以靠不同的途径制造<ref name=Kuzuyama>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kuzuyama T, Seto H | title = Diversity of the biosynthesis of the isoprene units | journal = Natural Product Reports | volume = 20 | issue = 2 | pages = 171–83 | date = April 2003 | pmid = 12735695 | doi = 10.1039/b109860h }}</ref>。在动物和古生物中,甲戊二酸途径从乙酰辅酶A产生这些化合物<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Grochowski LL, Xu H, White RH | title = Methanocaldococcus jannaschii uses a modified mevalonate pathway for biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate | journal = Journal of Bacteriology | volume = 188 | issue = 9 | pages = 3192–8 | date = May 2006 | pmid = 16621811 | pmc = 1447442 | doi = 10.1128/JB.188.9.3192-3198.2006 }}</ref>,而在植物和细菌中,非甲戊二酸途径使用丙酮酸和甘油醛3-磷酸作为底物。使用这些活化的异戊二烯供体的一个重要反应是固醇的生物合成<ref name=Kuzuyama/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lichtenthaler HK | title = The 1-Deoxy-D-Xylulose-5-Phosphate Pathway of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis in Plants | journal = Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology | volume = 50 | issue = | pages = 47–65 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 15012203 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.47 }}</ref>。在该反应中,异戊二烯单元连接在一起,制成角鲨烯,然后折叠起来形成一组环,制成羊毛固醇<ref name=Schroepfer>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schroepfer GJ | title = Sterol biosynthesis | journal = Annual Review of Biochemistry | volume = 50 | issue = | pages = 585–621 | year = 1981 | pmid = 7023367 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.bi.50.070181.003101 }}</ref>。羊毛固醇随后可转化为其他固醇,如胆固醇和麦角固醇<ref name=Schroepfer/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lees ND, Skaggs B, Kirsch DR, Bard M | title = Cloning of the late genes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae--a review | journal = Lipids | volume = 30 | issue = 3 | pages = 221–6 | date = March 1995 | pmid = 7791529 | doi = 10.1007/BF02537824 }}</ref>。 | 萜烯和异戊二烯是一大类脂类,包括类胡萝卜素,也是最大的一类植物天然产品<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Dubey VS, Bhalla R, Luthra R | title = An overview of the non-mevalonate pathway for terpenoid biosynthesis in plants | journal = Journal of Biosciences | volume = 28 | issue = 5 | pages = 637–46 | date = September 2003 | pmid = 14517367 | doi = 10.1007/BF02703339 | url = http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/sep2003/637.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070415213325/http://www.ias.ac.in/jbiosci/sep2003/637.pdf | df = | archive-date = 15 April 2007 }}</ref>。这些化合物是由反应性前体焦磷酸异戊烯酯和焦磷酸二甲基烯丙基酯所提供的异戊二烯单元组装和改性而成。这些前体可以靠不同的途径制造<ref name=Kuzuyama>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kuzuyama T, Seto H | title = Diversity of the biosynthesis of the isoprene units | journal = Natural Product Reports | volume = 20 | issue = 2 | pages = 171–83 | date = April 2003 | pmid = 12735695 | doi = 10.1039/b109860h }}</ref>。在动物和古生物中,甲戊二酸途径从乙酰辅酶A产生这些化合物<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Grochowski LL, Xu H, White RH | title = Methanocaldococcus jannaschii uses a modified mevalonate pathway for biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate | journal = Journal of Bacteriology | volume = 188 | issue = 9 | pages = 3192–8 | date = May 2006 | pmid = 16621811 | pmc = 1447442 | doi = 10.1128/JB.188.9.3192-3198.2006 }}</ref>,而在植物和细菌中,非甲戊二酸途径使用丙酮酸和甘油醛3-磷酸作为底物。使用这些活化的异戊二烯供体的一个重要反应是固醇的生物合成<ref name=Kuzuyama/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lichtenthaler HK | title = The 1-Deoxy-D-Xylulose-5-Phosphate Pathway of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis in Plants | journal = Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology | volume = 50 | issue = | pages = 47–65 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 15012203 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.arplant.50.1.47 }}</ref>。在该反应中,异戊二烯单元连接在一起,制成角鲨烯,然后折叠起来形成一组环,制成羊毛固醇<ref name=Schroepfer>{{cite journal | vauthors = Schroepfer GJ | title = Sterol biosynthesis | journal = Annual Review of Biochemistry | volume = 50 | issue = | pages = 585–621 | year = 1981 | pmid = 7023367 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.bi.50.070181.003101 }}</ref>。羊毛固醇随后可转化为其他固醇,如胆固醇和麦角固醇<ref name=Schroepfer/><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lees ND, Skaggs B, Kirsch DR, Bard M | title = Cloning of the late genes in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae--a review | journal = Lipids | volume = 30 | issue = 3 | pages = 221–6 | date = March 1995 | pmid = 7791529 | doi = 10.1007/BF02537824 }}</ref>。 |