Farnesyl Transferase

Farnesyl transferase is a zinc-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the attachment of a farnesyl lipid group to the sulfur atom of a cysteine residue of numerous proteins involved in cell signaling including the oncogenic H-Ras protein. Farnesyl transferase regulates the activation of Ras protein and consequently affects intracellular signal transduction, cell growth and proliferation.

Farnesyl transferase is an essential enzyme at downstream of mevalonate (MVA) pathway. Farnesyl transferase catalyzes the farnesylmoieties of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) coupled to Ras protein, which is dependent on farnesylation anchoring itself in membrane for its activity. Farnesyl transferase inhibitors are small-molecule inhibitors that selectively inhibit farnesylation of a number of intracellular substrate proteins such as Ras. Farnesyl transferase inhibitors represent a new class of agents that target signal transduction pathways responsible for the proliferation and survival of diverse malignant cell types.