Undecaprenyl diphosphate synthases catalyse the sequential condensation of isopentyl diphosphate (IPP) with allylic disphosphates. The reaction generates linear prenyl diphosphates within the biosynthetic pathway of isoprenoid compounds; components which are essential to cell machinery such as cholesterol, carotenoids and dolichols. This reactions proceed through very similar mechanisms, although the enzymes differ with respect to the stereochemistry and chain length of their products. The enzyme in question is an example of the cis subclass.
