Lantibiotics

Alternative sources of biologically active substances

The majority of antibiotics and substances with diverse biological activity used in medicine are produced by actinomycetes, nonfilamentous bacteria and fungi. Other microorganisms, such as myxobacteria, pseudomonads, nocardias, basidiomycetes, marine microorganisms, enterobacteria, halobacteria, hyperthermophiles etc. are investigated for new biologically active metabolites.

Lanthionine macrocyclization by in situ activation of serine

The present report details a straightforward, solid-phase approach to cyclolanthionine peptides. After stepwise assembly of the linear sequence and transformation of a single exposed serine to bromoalanine using P(Ph)3/CBr4, the detritilation of a cysteine side-chain sets the stage for a base-promoted macrocyclization. The entire procedure can be carried out in a solid-phase vessel using conventional 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl/tert-butyl-based chemistry and is amenable to automated format. The utility of this novel procedure is demonstrated by the synthesis of two previously reported lanthionine-containing cyclic peptides.

A nonribosomal system of peptide biosynthesis

This review covers peptide structures originating from the concerted action of enzyme systems without the direct participation of nucleic acids. Biosynthesis proceeds by formation of linear peptidyl intermediates which may be enzymatically modified as well as transformed into specific cyclic structures. The respective enzyme systems are constructed of biosynthetic modules integrated into multienzyme structures. Genetic and DNA-sequence analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters have revealed extensive similarities between prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, conserved principles of organisation, and a unique mechanism of transport of intermediates during elongation and modification steps involving 4'-phospho-pantetheine. These similarities permit the identification of peptide synthetases and related aminoacyl-ligases and acyl-ligases from sequence data. Similarities to other biosynthetic systems involved in the assembly of polyketide metabolites are discussed.