title: δ-(L-α-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine synthetase (ACVS): discovery and perspectives.
abstract: The δ-(L-α-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (ACV) tripeptide is the first dedicated intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway leading to the penicillin and cephalosporin classes of β-lactam natural products in bacteria and fungi. It is synthesized nonribosomally by the ACV synthetase (ACVS) enzyme, which has been purified and partially characterized from many sources. Due to its large size and instability, many details regarding the reaction mechanism of ACVS are still not fully understood. In this review we discuss the chronology and associated methodology that led to the discovery of ACVS, some of the main findings regarding its activities, and some recent/current studies being conducted on the enzyme. In addition, we conclude with perspectives on what can be done to increase our understating of this very important protein in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada. ktahlan@mun.ca.
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tahlan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
authors.forename: Marcus A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry; D010408:Penicillium chrysogenum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D010453:Peptide Synthases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D009842:Oligopeptides; C011638:5-(2-aminoadipyl)cysteinylvaline; D010453:Peptide Synthases; C095368:alpha-aminoadipyl-cysteinyl-valine synthetase
keywords: ACVS; Cephalosporin; Penicillin; Protein purification; Streptomyces; β-lactams