Natural-product sugar biosynthesis and enzymatic glycodiversification.

ABSTRACT: Many biologically active small-molecule natural products produced by microorganisms derive their activities from sugar substituents. Changing the structures of these sugars can have a profound impact on the biological properties of the parent compounds. This realization has inspired attempts to derivatize the sugar moieties of these natural products through exploitation of the sugar biosynthetic machinery. This approach requires an understanding of the biosynthetic pathway of each target sugar and detailed mechanistic knowledge of the key enzymes. Scientists have begun to unravel the biosynthetic logic behind the assembly of many glycosylated natural products and have found that a core set of enzyme activities is mixed and matched to synthesize the diverse sugar structures observed in natu

SUBMITTER: Thibodeaux CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2796923 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature