title: Promiscuity breeds diversity: the role of polyketide synthase in natural product biosynthesis.
abstract: Secondary metabolites are often highly biologically active molecules and are widely used from antibacterial to anticancer drugs. In this issue of Chemistry and Biology, Zaehle and coworkers describe the gene cluster and biosynthesis of the polyketide terrein, a secondary metabolite produced by the soil-borne fungus Aspergillus terreus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Institute for Applied Biosciences, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)-South Campus, Hertzstrasse 16, 76187 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: reinhard.fischer@kit.edu.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D001230:Aspergillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003517:Cyclopentanes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D005638:Fruit / Q000187:drug effects*; D010944:Plants / Q000187:drug effects*; D012639:Seeds / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003517:Cyclopentanes; C439087:terrein