The assembly line enzymology of polyketide biosynthesis

Till, M; Race, PR

doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-3375-4_2

The assembly line enzymology of polyketide biosynthesis

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Paul Race ORCiD

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016. Polyketides are a structurally and functionally diverse family of bioactive natural products that have found widespread application as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and veterinary medicines. In bacteria complex polyketides are biosynthesized by giant multifunctional megaenzymes, termed modular polyketide synthases (PKSs), which construct their products in a highly coordinated assembly line-like fashion from a pool of simple precursor substrates. Not only is the multifaceted enzymology of PKSs a fascinating target for study, but it also presents considerable opportunities for the reengineering of these systems affording access to functionally optimized unnatural natural products. Here we provide an introductory primer to modular polyketide synthase structure and function, and highlight recent advances in the characterization and exploitation of these systems.