Polytheonamide biosynthesis showcasing the metabolic potential of sponge-associated uncultivated 'Entotheonella' bacteria.

Polytheonamide biosynthesis showcasing the metabolic potential of sponge-associated uncultivated 'Entotheonella' bacteria. Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2015 Nov 25;31:8-14 Authors: Freeman MF, Vagstad AL, Piel J Abstract The vast majority of microorganisms on the planet have not been grown under laboratory conditions due to unknown metabolic and environmental constraints. This uncultivated majority has enormous potential as a reservoir of unique enzymology and biosynthetic pathways. The following review offers a glimpse into this unexplored enzymatic stockpile through recent progress made on the biosynthesis of the potent polytheonamide cytotoxins. These structurally highly complex pore-forming peptides, isolated from the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei, are synthesized by the ribosome and then modified through numerous unusual transformations including iterative epimerase and N-methyltransferase activities. The bacterial source of these metabolites was identified as the taxonomically remote, uncultivated sponge symbiont 'Entotheonella factor' with a biosynthetic prowess that rivals those of industrially exploited microorganisms. PMID: 26625171 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Current Opinion in Chemical Biology - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Curr Opin Chem Biol Source Type: research