Constructing polyketides: from collie to combinatorial biosynthesis.
In a new golden age, polyketides are investigated and manipulated with the tools of molecular biology and genetics; hybrid polyketides can be produced. Pharmaceutical companies hope to find new and useful polyketide products, including antibiotics, anthelminthics, and immunosuppressants. This review describes the past developments (largely chemical) on which the present investigations are based, attempts to make sense of the expanding scope of polyketides, looks at the shifting research focus around polyketides, presents a working definition in biosynthetic terms, and takes note of recent work in combinatorial biosynthesis. Also discussed is the failure of the classical enzymological approach to polyketide biosynthesis.
Bentley
R
R
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, USA. rbentley@pitt.edu
Bennett
J W
JW
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D020650:Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D007659:Ketones / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes / Q000378:metabolism*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007659:Ketones; D009097:Multienzyme Complexes