title: Analysis of the ketosynthase-chain length factor heterodimer from the fredericamycin polyketide synthase.
abstract: The pentadecaketide fredericamycin has the longest carbon chain backbone among polycyclic aromatic polyketide antibiotics whose biosynthetic genes have been sequenced. This backbone is synthesized by the bimodular fdm polyketide synthase (PKS). Here, we demonstrate that the bimodular fdm PKS as well as its elongation module alone synthesize undecaketides and dodecaketides. Thus, unlike other homologs, the fdm ketosynthase-chain length factor (KS-CLF) heterodimer does not exclusively control the backbone length of its natural product. Using sequence- and structure-based approaches, 48 CLF multiple mutants were engineered and analyzed. Unexpectedly, the I134F mutant was unable to turn over but could initiate and partially elongate the polyketide chain. This unprecedented mutant suggests that the KS-CLF heterodimer harbors an as yet uncharacterized chain termination mechanism. Together, our findings reveal fundamental mechanistic differences between the fdm PKS and its well-studied homologs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5025, USA.
authors.forename: Ping-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Szu
authors.forename: Sridhar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Govindarajan
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Meehan
authors.forename: Abhirup
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Don D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Pieter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dorrestein
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Minshull
authors.forename: Chaitan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Khosla
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D048372:Streptomyces coelicolor / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; D048630:Polyketide Synthases