S. Haynes, Xue Gao, Yi Tang
Oct 24, 2012
Citations
1
Influential Citations
46
Citations
Journal
Journal of the American Chemical Society
Abstract
Members of the asperlicin family of fungal metabolites produced by Aspergillus alliaceus are known potent CCK(A) antagonists. Herein, we report the identification of the gene cluster responsible for directing their biosynthesis. We validate and probe the pathway by genetic manipulation, and provide the first biochemical characterization of the oxidative cyclization en route to the heptacyclic asperlicin E by reconstituting the activity of the FAD depend monooxygenase AspB. This report provides the first genetic characterization of a NRPS assembly line that efficiently activates two anthranilate building blocks and illustrates the remarkably efficient biosynthesis of the complex heptacyclic asperlicin E.