New chemistry from natural product biosynthesis

Area of Science:

• Synthetic Chemistry
• Biocatalysis
• Enzymology

Background:

• Catalysts are essential in synthetic chemistry, yet many reactions lack efficient catalysts.
• Enzymes are increasingly important as biocatalysts for sustainable chemical production.
• Enzymes offer high stereoselectivity and regioselectivity, crucial for complex synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of using natural product biosynthetic pathways for biocatalyst discovery.
• To highlight enzymes capable of C─H bond activation for functionalizing biosynthetic precursors.
• To discuss challenges in discovering novel enzymes for synthetic applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of natural product assembly and tailoring processes.
• Focus on four enzyme classes catalyzing C─H bond activation.
• Discussion of strategies for novel enzyme discovery.

Main Results:

• Natural product biosynthetic pathways provide a rich source for identifying novel biocatalysts.
• Specific enzyme classes involved in C─H bond functionalization are identified.
• The review outlines the potential of these enzymes in synthetic chemistry.

Conclusions:

• Biosynthetic pathways are a valuable resource for discovering new enzymes for synthetic chemistry.
• Enzymes catalyzing C─H bond activation are key targets for biocatalyst development.
• Further research is needed to overcome challenges in novel enzyme discovery and application.