title: Mechanisms of cyanobactin biosynthesis.
abstract: Cyanobactins are a diverse collection of natural products that originate from short peptides made on a ribosome. The amino acids are modified in a series of transformations catalyzed by multiple enzymes. The patellamide pathway is the most well studied and characterized example. Here we review the structures and mechanisms of the enzymes that cleave peptide bonds, macrocyclise peptides, heterocyclise cysteine (as well as threonine and serine) residues, oxidize five-membered heterocycles and attach prenyl groups. Some enzymes operate by novel mechanisms which is of interest and in addition the enzymes uncouple recognition from catalysis. The normally tight relationship between these factors hinders biotechnology. The cyanobactin pathway may be particularly suitable for exploitation, with progress observed with in vivo and in vitro approaches.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Clarissa Melo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Czekster
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST Scotland, UK.|State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, China.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Naismith
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000378:metabolism*; D015202:Protein Engineering
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic