Genetically engineered synthesis of natural products

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Synthetic Biology
• Natural Product Synthesis

Background:

• Natural products often possess complex structures requiring multi-step synthesis.
• Biosynthetic pathways in plants and microbes offer potential for efficient production.
• Enzyme engineering and recombinant expression are key tools in biotechnology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of multi-step, one-flask total synthesis of natural products.
• To explore the use of cloned and overexpressed biosynthetic enzymes from diverse sources.
• To establish an in vitro enzymatic system for synthesizing complex molecules.

Main Methods:

• Cloning and overexpression of biosynthetic enzymes from plant and microbial sources.
• Recombination of multiple enzymes (8-9) in vitro.
• Utilizing an advanced intermediate in the vitamin B12 pathway as a target.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of a multi-step, one-flask synthesis approach.
• Efficient in vitro recombination of a significant number of enzymes.
• Generation of an advanced intermediate in the vitamin B12 pathway.

Conclusions:

• Multi-step, one-flask synthesis of natural products using recombinant enzymes is feasible.
• This method offers a streamlined approach to producing complex molecules.
• The strategy holds promise for the biosynthesis of vitamin B12 and other natural products.