Synfacts 2011(7): 0781-0781  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1260636
Organo- and Biocatalysis
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Biosynthesis of Spinosyn A

Contributor(s): Benjamin List, Lars Ratjen
H. J. Kim, M. W. Ruszczycky, S.-H Choi, Y.-N. Liu, H.-W. Liu*
University of Texas at Austin, USA
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
17 June 2011 (online)

Significance

The authors report a detailed study on the biosynthesis of spinosyn A, an important insecticide from the bacterium Saccharopolyspora spinosa. By systematically investigating the ­enzymes from the spinosyn A biosynthetic gene cluster overexpressed from Escherichia coli, two important cyclases were identified. The roles of these two enzymes, SpnF and SpnL, are the ­catalysis of a Diels-Alder reaction and a Rauhut-Currier cyclization, respectively. The Diels-Alder reaction was shown to undergo a 500-fold rate enhancement compared to the non-catalyzed ­reaction.