Synthetic Connections for Synthases

摘要

Like biological royalty,fatty acids,polyketides,and nonribosomal peptides are literally carried through their biosyntheses by "carrier" proteins(CPs).The biosynthetic precursors of these metabolites are covalently attached to the CPs,which present them to various enzymes(synthases)that sequentially build the final compounds in an assembly-line fashion.The structural complexity of the components,however,has hindered molecular characterization of this process.Now,Worthington et al.(p 687 and Point of View p 679)describe the synthesis and evaluation of small-molecule cross-linking agents selective for the Escherichia coli fatty acid ketosynthase elongation enzymes KASI and KASII.