Farnesyltransferase

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Farnesyltransferase (EC 2.5.1.58) is one of the three enzymes in the prenyltransferase group. Farnesyltransferase (FTase) adds a 15-carbon isoprenoid called a farnesyl group to proteins bearing a CaaX motif: a four-amino acid sequence at the carboxyl terminus of a protein. Farnesyltransferase's targets include members of the Ras superfamily of small GTP-binding proteins critical to cell cycle progression. For this reason, several FTase inhibitors are undergoing testing as anti-cancer agents. FTase inhibitors have shown efficacy as anti-parasitic agents, as well. FTase is also believed to play an important role in development of progeria and various forms of cancers.

Farnesyltransferase catalyzes the chemical reaction

farnesyl diphosphate + protein-cysteine ${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$ S-farnesyl protein + diphosphate

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are farnesyl diphosphate and protein-cysteine, whereas its two products are S-farnesyl protein and diphosphate.