Novel strategy for natural product biosynthesis

Date:
July 2, 2021
Source:
University of Freiburg
Summary:
Researchers discover enzyme prototype for formation of ecologically
and pharmaceutically important tropone compounds.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Microorganisms produce natural products, for example, as disease-causing virulence factors or as defense substances against predators and
competitors. A team led by Dr. Robin Teufel and first author Ying
Duan from the Institute of Biology II at the Faculty of Biology
of the University of Freiburg, together with researchers from the
University of Bonn, have now discovered a novel enzyme that is crucial
for the production of so-called bacterial tropone natural products. The researchers presented their results in the current issue of the Journal
of the American Chemical Society.


========================================================================== Previously unknown enzyme type Bacteria found in terrestrial and marine environments produce tropone natural products, among other things, when
they interact symbiotically with plants, algae or lower animals, for
example as presumed protective substances against microbial pathogens
in corals and sponges. The Freiburg researchers now investigated how
the symbiotic bacteria produce these bioactive agents. Teufel and his
team discovered a completely new type of enzyme that is essential for
the production of these bacterial tropones.

Key intermediate in tropone biosynthesis The scientists found
that this enzyme activates oxygen in a previously unknown way and
incorporates it into a chemical precursor compound. In the process,
the basic structure of the tropone is generated. Using chemical and
biochemical methods, the researchers were able to investigate the
functions of this enzyme in more detail and thereby elucidate novel intermediates in tropone biosynthesis. "We succeeded in taking a
crucial step toward better understanding the biological production
of these significant compounds," Teufel explains. "These findings can
serve as a basis for better combating certain pathogens in the future
or for obtaining novel tropone compounds using biotechnological methods." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Freiburg. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ying Duan, Marina Toplak, Anwei Hou, Nelson L. Brock, Jeroen S.

Dickschat, Robin Teufel. A Flavoprotein Dioxygenase Steers Bacterial
Tropone Biosynthesis via Coenzyme A-Ester Oxygenolysis and Ring
Epoxidation. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2021; DOI:
10.1021/jacs.1c04996 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210702114518.htm

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