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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

From a Natural Product to Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster: A Demonstration Using Polyketomycin from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028
Published on: January 13, 2017
Biochemistry and general genetics of nonribosomal peptide synthetases in fungi
1Technical University Berlin, Department of Chemistry, Research Group of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Franklinstrasse 29, 10587 Berlin, Germany. doehren@chem.tu-berlin.de
Abstract:
Peptides like penicillin or cyclosporin are nonribosomally synthesised by large multifunctional enzymes. Peptide synthetase genes are coexpressed with other biosynthesis genes organised in clusters. Such clusters are common in fungal genomes, and the respective products are thought to be advantageous though not essential for survival. The biochemistry of the sequential polymerisation reactions is reviewed, including multienzyme organization, amino acid activation and modification reactions.
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