Single cell genome amplification accelerates identification of the apratoxin biosynthetic pathway from a complex microbial assemblage.

ABSTRACT: Filamentous marine cyanobacteria are extraordinarily rich sources of structurally novel, biomedically relevant natural products. To understand their biosynthetic origins as well as produce increased supplies and analog molecules, access to the clustered biosynthetic genes that encode for the assembly enzymes is necessary. Complicating these efforts is the universal presence of heterotrophic bacteria in the cell wall and sheath material of cyanobacteria obtained from the environment and those grown in uni-cyanobacterial culture. Moreover, the high similarity in genetic elements across disparate secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways renders imprecise current gene cluster targeting strategies and contributes sequence complexity resulting in partial genome coverage. Thus, it was necessary

SUBMITTER: Grindberg RV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3075265 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature