title: Heteroatom-Heteroatom Bond Formation in Natural Product Biosynthesis.
abstract: Natural products that contain functional groups with heteroatom-heteroatom linkages (X-X, where X = N, O, S, and P) are a small yet intriguing group of metabolites. The reactivity and diversity of these structural motifs has captured the interest of synthetic and biological chemists alike. Functional groups containing X-X bonds are found in all major classes of natural products and often impart significant biological activity. This review presents our current understanding of the biosynthetic logic and enzymatic chemistry involved in the construction of X-X bond containing functional groups within natural products. Elucidating and characterizing biosynthetic pathways that generate X-X bonds could both provide tools for biocatalysis and synthetic biology, as well as guide efforts to uncover new natural products containing these structural features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.
authors.forename: Abraham J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Waldman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.
authors.forename: Tai L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.
authors.forename: Emily P
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5985-5714
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Balskus
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004798:Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D004798:Enzymes; D009569:Nitric Oxide