Engineering of modular polyketide synthases to produce novel polyketides.
Polyketides are important natural products produced by Actinomycetes and other organisms via the polymerization of coenzyme A-activated carboxylic acids. Modular polyketide synthases are large multifunctional enzymes that direct the biosynthetic process using a dedicated 'module' for each polymerization reaction, which specifies the unit to be polymerized, its oxidation state and stereochemistry. Over the past two years proof-of-principle has been demonstrated for technologies that modify or exchange modules to create hybrid enzymes that catalyze the biosynthesis of novel polyketides.
Carreras
CW
Kosan Biosciences, Inc 1450 Rollins Road, Burlingame, CA 04010, USA
Santi
DV