Sulfation: A New Biocombinatorial Tool

Abstract

Considerable progress has been achieved in derivatization of glycopeptide antibiotics by using genetic engineering and in vitro enzymatic approaches. In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, the identification and application of a glycopeptide-specific sulfotransferase by Lamb et al. expands the tool box of biocombinatorial synthesis.

Biotransformation-coupled mutasynthesis for the generation of novel pristinamycin derivatives by engineering the phenylglycine residue

“…15,16 Genetic engineering methods are suitable alternatives for the targeted derivatization of complex natural products. 17 These methods are based on the biotechnological manipulation of genes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis, which in bacterial antibiotic producers are usually organized in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). 18 Mutasynthesis is a method of metabolic engineering that combines aspects of chemical synthesis with genetic engineering techniques (= mutational biosynthesis).…”