Biosynthesis of the tetrahydroxynaphthalene-derived meroterpenoid furaquinocin <i>via</i> reductive deamination and intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of an alkene.

ABSTRACT: Hybrid isoprenoid-polyketides, known as meroterpenoids, are a family of natural products that exhibit various bioactivities and are promising drug scaffolds. Despite the structural diversity of 1,3,6,8-tetrahydroxynaphthalene (THN)-derived meroterpenoids, such as furaquinocin, naphterpin, and furanonaphthoquinone, several biosynthetic genes for these compounds are conserved, suggesting a shared biosynthetic mechanism. However, the common biosynthetic mechanism and pathway-specific structural diversification mechanisms of these meroterpenoids are not yet fully understood. This study reveals the biosynthetic pathway for furaquinocin, demonstrating that it involves reductive deamination to form a key hydroquinone intermediate essential for subsequent reactions, including a unique cyclization

SUBMITTER: Noguchi T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11969235 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature