Biopolymers and cell. 2002; 18 (6): 467 - 477

 

 

Gene engineering of novel polyketide antibiotics producers

 

B. O. Ostash, V. O. Fedorenko

 

Current understanding of the polyketide antibiotics synthesis is reviewed. Detailed heuristics in both genetic and biochemical aspects of polyketide synthesis allows to create the recombinant strains — producers of new polyketides with predicted structure. Methods for rational genetic «design» of hybrid compounds are described and examples of engineered synthesis of the industrially important polyketide antibiotics are given.