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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

From a Natural Product to Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster: A Demonstration Using Polyketomycin from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028
Published on: January 13, 2017
Bacterial hosts for natural product production
Haoran Zhang1, Yong Wang, Blaine A Pfeifer
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
This review evaluates four bacterial hosts—Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, pseudomonads, and Streptomyces—for producing therapeutic natural products. It assesses their suitability for both native and heterologous biosynthesis of polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, terpenoids, and flavonoids.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Natural Product Chemistry
Background:
- Bacterial systems are crucial for natural product biosynthesis.
- Diverse bacterial hosts offer potential for producing valuable therapeutic compounds.
- Understanding host capabilities is key for optimizing natural product yields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and evaluate four key bacterial hosts for natural product production.
- To compare the native and heterologous production capabilities of E. coli, B. subtilis, pseudomonads, and Streptomyces.
- To assess biological factors influencing the biosynthesis of polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, terpenoids, and flavonoids in these hosts.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and comparative analysis of bacterial systems.
- Evaluation of biological properties affecting natural product biosynthesis.
- Assessment of both native and heterologous production strategies.
Main Results:
- E. coli and B. subtilis show versatility for heterologous expression.
- Pseudomonads are adept at producing specific compound classes natively.
- Streptomyces remains a powerhouse for complex natural product biosynthesis.
- Each host presents unique advantages and challenges for different compound classes.
Conclusions:
- The choice of bacterial host significantly impacts the success of natural product biosynthesis.
- Optimizing host-microbe interactions is critical for efficient therapeutic compound production.
- Further research can unlock the full potential of these bacterial systems for drug discovery.
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