title: Clearing the skies over modular polyketide synthases.
abstract: Modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) are large multifunctional proteins that synthesize complex polyketide metabolites in microbial cells. A series of recent studies confirm the close protein structural relationship between catalytic domains in the type I mammalian fatty acid synthase (FAS) and the basic synthase unit of the modular PKS. They also establish a remarkable similarity in the overall organization of the type I FAS and the PKS module. This information provides important new conclusions about catalytic domain architecture, function, and molecular recognition that are essential for future efforts to engineer useful polyketide metabolites with valuable biological activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. davidhs@umich.edu
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D048630:Polyketide Synthases; D064429:Fatty Acid Synthases