Catalysts are a vital part of synthetic chemistry. However, there are still many important reactions for which catalysts have not been developed. The use of enzymes as biocatalysts for synthetic chemistry is growing in importance due to the drive towards sustainable methods for producing both bulk chemicals and high value compounds such as pharmaceuticals, and due to the ability of enzymes to catalyse chemical reactions with excellent stereoselectivity and regioselectivity. Such challenging transformations are a common feature of natural product biosynthetic pathways. In this mini-review, we discuss the potential to use biosynthetic pathways as a starting point for biocatalyst discovery. We introduce the reader to natural product assembly and tailoring, then focus on four classes of enzyme that catalyse C─H bond activation reactions to functionalize biosynthetic precursors. Finally, we briefly discuss the challenges involved in novel enzyme discovery.
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June 2016
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Cover Image
Shining a spotlight on outer membrane protein folding. Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) [such as OmpA (green, top left)] have to navigate their way from the ribosome (bottom of image) via trigger factor (red) and SecB (turquoise), through the SecYEG translocon (red/yellow) in the inner membrane (IM). They are then chaperoned across the periplasm until they can insert and fold into their ultimate destination, the outer membrane. For further details see pp. 802–809. The figure was produced by Jim Horne. - PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Review Article|
June 09 2016
New chemistry from natural product biosynthesis
Catherine B. Hubert;
Catherine B. Hubert
*Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Britannia House, 7 Trinity St, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
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Sarah M. Barry
Sarah M. Barry
1
*Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Britannia House, 7 Trinity St, London SE1 1DB, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email sarah.barry@kcl.ac.uk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 15 2016
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2016
Biochem Soc Trans (2016) 44 (3): 738–744.
Article history
Received:
February 15 2016
Citation
Catherine B. Hubert, Sarah M. Barry; New chemistry from natural product biosynthesis. Biochem Soc Trans 15 June 2016; 44 (3): 738–744. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20160063
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