New tricks from ancient algae: natural products biosynthesis in marine cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria, among Earth's oldest organisms, have evolved sophisticated biosynthetic pathways to produce a rich arsenal of bioactive natural products. In consequence, cyanobacterial secondary metabolites have been an incredibly fruitful source of lead compounds in drug discovery efforts. Inve...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in chemical biology 2009-04, Vol.13 (2), p.216-223
Main Authors: Jones, Adam C, Gu, Liangcai, Sorrels, Carla M, Sherman, David H, Gerwick, William H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological Products - biosynthesis
Cyanobacteria - metabolism
Eukaryota - metabolism
Oceans and Seas
Seawater - microbiology
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Summary:Cyanobacteria, among Earth's oldest organisms, have evolved sophisticated biosynthetic pathways to produce a rich arsenal of bioactive natural products. In consequence, cyanobacterial secondary metabolites have been an incredibly fruitful source of lead compounds in drug discovery efforts. Investigations into the biochemistry responsible for the creation of these compounds, complemented by genome sequencing efforts, are revealing unique enzymatic mechanisms not described or rarely described elsewhere in the natural world. Herein, we discuss recent advances in understanding the biosynthesis of three cyanobacterial classes of natural product: mixed polyketide synthase/non ribosomal peptide synthetase (PKS/NRPS) metabolites, aromatic amino acid-derived alkaloids, and ribosomally encoded cyclic peptides. The unique biosynthetic mechanisms employed by cyanobacteria are inspiring new developments in heterologous gene expression and biotechnology.
ISSN:1367-5931
1879-0402
DOI:10.1016/j.cbpa.2009.02.019