title: The Assembly Line Enzymology of Polyketide Biosynthesis.
abstract: Polyketides are a structurally and functionally diverse family of bioactive natural products that have found widespread application as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and veterinary medicines. In bacteria complex polyketides are biosynthesized by giant multifunctional megaenzymes, termed modular polyketide synthases (PKSs), which construct their products in a highly coordinated assembly line-like fashion from a pool of simple precursor substrates. Not only is the multifaceted enzymology of PKSs a fascinating target for study, but it also presents considerable opportunities for the reengineering of these systems affording access to functionally optimized unnatural natural products. Here we provide an introductory primer to modular polyketide synthase structure and function, and highlight recent advances in the characterization and exploitation of these systems.
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.|BrisSynBio Synthetic Biology Research Centre, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Till
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Medical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK.|BrisSynBio Synthetic Biology Research Centre, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Race
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways; D008958:Models, Molecular; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D061065:Polyketides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015202:Protein Engineering / Q000379:methods; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D061065:Polyketides; D048630:Polyketide Synthases
keywords: Biosynthesis; Natural products; Polyketide synthase; Structural enzymology; Synthetic biology