Cangsong Liao, F. Seebeck
Nov 2, 2017
Citations
1
Influential Citations
33
Citations
Journal
ChemBioChem
Abstract
Biosynthesis of N‐α‐trimethyl‐2‐thiohistidine (ergothioneine) is a frequent trait in cyanobacteria. This sulfur compound may provide essential relief from oxidative stress related to oxygenic photosynthesis. The central steps in ergothioneine biosynthesis are catalyzed by a histidine methyltransferase and an iron‐dependent sulfoxide synthase. In this report, we present evidence that some cyanobacteria recruited and adapted a sulfoxide synthase from a different biosynthetic pathway to make ergothioneine. The discovery of a second origin of ergothioneine production underscores the physiological importance of this metabolite and highlights the evolutionary malleability of the thiohistidine biosynthetic machinery.