This paper describes the recombinant expression of the ispC gene of Escherichia coli specifying2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate synthase in a modified form that can be purified efficientlyby metal-chelating chromatography. The enzyme was used for the preparation of isotope-labeled2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate employing isotope-labeled glucose and pyruvate as startingmaterials. The simple one-pot methods described afford numerous isotopomers of 2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate carrying 3H, 13C, or 14C from commercially available precursors. The overallyield based on the respective isotope-labeled starting material is approximately 50%.
