Coenzyme A and natural product biosynthesis

ORGN 18

Michael D. Burkart, mburkart@ucsd.edu, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0358
We have developed robust tools to study natural product biosynthetic proteins both in vitro and within cells. These techniques provide novel access labeling, visualization, and manipulation of any protein containing a carrier protein domain, including all polyketide, non-ribosomal peptide, and fatty acid synthases. In an effort to present these reporter-labeled precursors within live cells, we adapted reporter-labeled coenzyme A precursors to be taken up by the primary metabolism and covalently attached to proteins within the cell. This route now provides access to strategically-insert modifications within natural and engineered proteins.