title: Biosynthetic modularity rules in the bisintercalator family of antitumor compounds.
abstract: Diverse actinomycetes produce a family of structurally and biosynthetically related non-ribosomal peptide compounds which belong to the chromodepsipeptide family. These compounds act as bisintercalators into the DNA helix. They give rise to antitumor, antiparasitic, antibacterial and antiviral bioactivities. These compounds show a high degree of conserved modularity (chromophores, number and type of amino acids). This modularity and their high sequence similarities at the genetic level imply a common biosynthetic origin for these pathways. Here, we describe insights about rules governing this modular biosynthesis, taking advantage of the fact that nowadays five of these gene clusters have been made public (thiocoraline, triostin, SW-163 and echinomycin/quinomycin). This modularity has potential application for designing and producing novel genetic engineered derivatives, as well as for developing new chemical synthesis strategies. These would facilitate their clinical development.
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. uo186966@uniovi.es.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. marinla01@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. rachelmartes13@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvarez-Alonso
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. redondo.saul@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Saúl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. UO223177@uniovi.es.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carvajal
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. gvillami2002@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Villamizar
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. cjvg@uniovi.es.
authors.forename: Claudio J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.affiliation: Research Group BITTEN, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias (IUOPA), Universidad de Oviedo, C/Julián Clavería 7, Facultad de Medicina, Oviedo 33006, Spain. lombofelipe@uniovi.es.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombó
mesh_terms: D039903:Actinobacteria / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007364:Intercalating Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D007364:Intercalating Agents