Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengting Liu, Masao Ohashi, Qingyang Zhou, Jacob N. Sanders, Erin P. Mccauley, Phillip Crews, K. N. Houk, Yi Tang
Summary: We have discovered and reconstructed a concise biosynthetic pathway of the strained dipeptide (+)-azonazine A using Aspergillus insulicola from marine sources. A P450 enzyme catalyzes the formation of the hexacyclic benzofuranoindoline ring system from cyclo-(L-Trp-N-methyl-L-Tyr) through oxidative cyclization. Supplementing the producing strain with different indole-substituted tryptophan derivatives resulted in the production of a series of azonazine A analogs.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mengting Liu, Masao Ohashi, Qingyang Zhou, Jacob N. Sanders, Erin P. McCauley, Phillip Crews, K. N. Houk, Yi Tang
Summary: We uncovered the biosynthetic pathway of (+)-azonazine A and generated a series of analogs through supplementation of indole-substituted tryptophan derivatives.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bettina Dudek, Anne-Christin Warskulat, Heiko Vogel, Natalie Wielsch, Riya Christina Menezes, Yvonne Hupfer, Christian Paetz, Steffi Gebauer-Jung, Ales Svatos, Bernd Schneider
Summary: Researchers investigated the biosynthesis process of nudicaulins in Iceland poppy petals using transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome data, revealing that nudicaulins are formed through a spontaneous fusion of indole and pelargonidin glycoside, combining enzymatic steps of two different pathways.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Umi Miyata, Kenta Arakawa, Mami Takei, Tadao Asami, Kazuya Asanbou, Hiroaki Toshima, Yoshihito Suzuki
Summary: PonAAS2, an aromatic aldehyde synthase, plays a key role in the biosynthesis of IAA in galling sawfly, with high expression levels in early and mid-stage larvae. Inhibiting PonAAS2 can significantly reduce IAA production in sawfly enzymes, highlighting the enzyme's important role in IAA biosynthesis in sawfly.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Cao Ning, Wang Chang-Hong
Summary: This article reviews the latest research on the biosynthesis of natural compounds TIAs and BCAs, focusing on the role of strictosidine synthase in this process and the sources and substrate specificity of related compounds derived from strictosidine. The presence of six-bladed four-stranded beta-propeller folds in many organisms other than plants may indicate similar functions among different organisms. The expression of the strictosidine synthase gene has a significant impact on the production of various compounds, which are mainly used in plant cell suspension culture for the production of valuable drugs and biosynthesis in other carriers.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF NATURAL MEDICINES
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Richiro Ushimaru, Ikuro Abe
Summary: Cytochrome P450 proteins are enzymes that use a heme cofactor to perform diverse chemical transformations in plant and microbial secondary metabolite biosynthesis. They typically catalyze monooxygenation reactions using O2 as a cosubstrate, but recent studies have shown their crucial roles in forming atypical carbon-heteroatom bonds in natural products.
TRENDS IN CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Takayoshi Awakawa
Summary: Teleocidin B family members are terpene indole compounds isolated from Streptomyces bacteria which strongly activate protein kinase C (PKC). Researchers have conducted numerous studies on isolation and bioactivity to facilitate the identification of enzymatic reactions in teleocidin biosynthesis. Biochemical and structural biological studies have helped clarify the reaction mechanisms of these compounds.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL MEDICINES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sumire Kurosawa, Fumihito Hasebe, Hironori Okamura, Ayako Yoshida, Kenichi Matsuda, Yusuke Sone, Takeo Tomita, Tetsuro Shinada, Hirosato Takikawa, Tomohisa Kuzuyama, Saori Kosono, Makoto Nishiyama
Summary: This study reports for the first time the molecular basis for aziridine ring formation. By investigating the biosynthesis of vazabitide A, which has a structure similar to azinomycin B, it was found that Vzb10/11 catalyzed the formation of the aziridine ring via sulfate elimination. Structural analysis revealed the working mechanism of these enzymes.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xinjie Shi, Liming Huang, Kaihui Song, Guiyun Zhao, Yu Liu, Longxian Lv, Yi-Ling Du
Summary: This study elucidates the key enzymes and catalytic mechanisms involved in the biosynthesis of luzopeptin A, with a cytochrome P450 enzyme identified as multitasking in several consecutive oxidation reactions, and a membrane-bound acyltransferase potentially mediating extracellular modifications. The findings provide mechanistic insights into P450-mediated carbon-nitrogen bond desaturation and expand the catalytic versatility of P450 family enzymes.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Takako Yamashita, Yosuke Matsuo, Yoshinori Saito, Takashi Tanaka
Summary: Through investigation of CuCl2-mediated oxidation reactions in an aqueous medium, it was found that in the biosynthesis of ellagitannins, DHHDP is the initial product of the oxidative coupling of two galloyl groups, and subsequent reductive metabolism forms HHDP esters.
CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jing Li, Senlin Jiang, Guobin Yang, Yanwei Xu, Lujun Li, Fengjuan Yang
Summary: This study determined the molecular mechanism of color formation in eggplants and identified novel genes related to the difference in peel color and anthocyanin biosynthesis. Functional analysis confirmed the important roles of five genes in anthocyanin accumulation in eggplant peels. A regulatory model for the mechanism of color formation in eggplant was proposed.
HORTICULTURE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jorge Diaz-Rullo, Jose Eduardo Gonzalez-Pastor
Summary: In this study, we developed a novel bioinformatic strategy to predict Q-genes and found that these genes are widely enriched in cellular functions, especially in biofilm formation and virulence in bacteria, particularly in human pathogens. Experimental validation showed that altering the level of tRNA Q-modification significantly affected these physiological processes in different model bacteria, representing the first report of a general mechanism controlling biofilm formation and virulence in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, we propose that changes in Q availability in a microbiome would impact its functionality. These findings open new avenues for the control of bacterial infections and biofilm formation by inhibiting tRNA Q-modification.
NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Simita Das, Krushnamurthy Pattanayakanahalli Henjarappa, Nilkamal Mahanta
Summary: We report the first in vitro study of two early enzymes, PpgH and PpgG, involved in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic Promysalin. This study provides insights into the functions and mechanisms of these enzymes and lays the foundation for further research on the Promysalin biosynthetic pathway.
BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Giuseppe Satta, Elena Usala, Angelo Solinas, Melina Romer, Marco Livesi, Giovanni Michele Pira, Andrea Beccu, Silvia Carboni, Silvia Gaspa, Lidia De Luca, Luisa Pisano, Ugo Azzena, Massimo Carraro
Summary: In this study, mild Lewis acids and environmentally friendly solvents were investigated for Nenitzescu synthesis. Cyclopentyl methyl ether can effectively substitute halogenated solvents at room temperature, using zinc, iron, and magnesium salts as homogeneous catalysts to achieve fair to good yields of 5-hydroxyindoles. The reaction offers a straightforward workup and excellent solvent recycling capabilities.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Byung-sun Jeon, Teng-Yi Huang, Mark W. Ruszczycky, Sei-hyun Choi, Namho Kim, Joseph Livy Franklin, Shang-Cheng Hung, Hung-wen Liu
Summary: The biosynthesis of spinosyn A in Saccharopolyspora spinosa involves a multi-step reaction catalyzed by SpnM and SpnF, including dehydration and cycloaddition. The majority of byproducts are stable in the reaction, but the relative production of main product and byproduct can be adjusted by introducing other enzymes.
