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Updated: Dec 19, 2025

Sequence-specific Labeling of Nucleic Acids and Proteins with Methyltransferases and Cofactor Analogues
Published on: November 22, 2014
Characterization of Tailoring Methyltransferases Involved in K-41A Biosynthesis: Modulating Methylation to Improve
Jiang Chen1,2, Chun Gui1,2, Qiuyu Wei3
1CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Marine Materia Medica, RNAM Center for Marine Microbiology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 164 West Xingang Road, Guangzhou, 510301, China.
Abstract:
The biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) for polyether antibiotic K-41A was identified from marine-derived Streptomyces sp. SCSIO 01680 and subjected to combinatorial biosynthetic study. Bioinformatics analyses, gene disruption, and metabolomics analyses afforded eight new derivatives and one known polyether, showcasing five region-specific methyltransferases Pak13, Pak15, Pak20, Pak31, and Pak38 and their respective modification loci. Moreover, bioassays revealed that two disaccharide-bearing polyethers, K-41B and K-41Bm, display enhanced anti-HIV and potent antibacterial activities.
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