The number of biologically significant plant, fungi, and bacteria species continues to expand as researchers consistently discover complex natural products. Common commercial products that have been synthesized from natural products include cancer therapeutics, antibiotics, and cholesterol medications. Researcher, Dr. Robin Teufel and Dr. Britta Frensch of the Institute of Biology II of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Freiburg and researchers from ETH Zürich in Switzerland, have made an impressive discovery showing the role of three enzymes that are involved in synthesizing a class of natural products. Their research is published in the Nature Communications.
The bacteria species, actinobacteria, produce a class of compounds known as aromatic polyketides. The researchers examined how actinobacteria, using enzymes, were able to synthesize such bioactive substances from simple, molecular components. Teufel demonstrated how three enzymes played key roles in the biosynthesis of rubromycins, which belong to the most structurally complex aromatic polyketides.
The enzymes worked to restructure a chemical precursor molecule, using a carbon backbone of the rubromycins. Additional research showed the functions of the enzymes, their mechanisms of action, and the identification of intermediates.
Regarding the research, Teufel stated, "We've made important findings about the ways such enzymes control the formation of complex natural products in microorganisms. These findings could play a central role in applying bioengineering to make new types of bioactive rubromycin-polyketides."
Image credit: CDC