title: Discovery of McbB, an enzyme catalyzing the β-carboline skeleton construction in the marinacarboline biosynthetic pathway.
abstract: Three genes, mcbABC, that drive the biosynthesis of marinacarbolines, have been elucidated through genome mining, gene inactivation, heterologous expression, feeding, and site-directed mutagenesis experiments. McbB is highlighted as a novel enzyme for the β-carboline core construction, which involves a Pictet-Spengler cyclization process and requiring E97 for biochemical activity.
authors.affiliation: CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resources Sustainable Utilization, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510301 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 110039 (China).
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Changtao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Yongxiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Junying
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xinpeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ju
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D002243:Carbolines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D015394:Molecular Structure; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D002243:Carbolines
keywords: Pictet-Spengler reaction; biosynthesis; marinacarbolines; natural products; β-carbolines