Abstract
Cyanobacteria are renowned for the biosynthesis of a range of natural products. In comparison to the bioactives produced by non-ribosomal peptide synthetase and polyketide synthase systems, the hapalindole family of hybrid isoprenoid-indole alkaloids has received considerably less attention. It has been proposed that these natural products, the indole alkaloids, are constructed by a pathway of monofunctional enzymes. This chapter will specifically discuss the hapalindole family of alkaloids isolated exclusively from the Group 5 cyanobacteria. Structural diversity within this family correlates with a wide range of bioactivities. However, despite the wide variety of structures related to the hapalindoles, their biosynthesis is proposed to occur via a common pathway. Structural diversification of the natural products is proposed to have occurred as a result of evolution of biosynthetic enzymes in Nature and thus will provide insights into how these and related enzymes may be engineered in the laboratory. In this chapter we will focus on aspects of hapalindole structural diversity, proposed biosynthetic pathways, known bioactivities, and the potential for bioengineering of this unique natural product class.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Handbook on Cyanobacteria |
| Subtitle of host publication | Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Applications |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 429-441 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781607410928 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |