Description
This cytosolic enzyme catalyses the first pathway-specific step in the biosynthesis of the core membrane diether lipids in archaebacteria. Requires Mg2+ for maximal activity. It catalyses the alkylation of the primary hydroxy group in sn-glycerol 1-phosphate by geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) in a prenyltransfer reaction where a hydroxy group is the nucleophile in the acceptor substrate. The other enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of polar lipids in Archaea are EC 1.1.1.261 (sn-glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase), EC 2.5.1.42 (geranylgeranylglycerol-phosphate geranylgeranyltransferase) and EC 2.7.7.67 (CDP-archaeol synthase), which lead to the formation of CDP-unsaturated archaeol. The final step in the pathway involves the addition of L-serine, with concomitant removal of CMP, leading to the production of unsaturated archaetidylserine