BIOL 108 |
| The field of genomics has revolutionized modern biotechnology. Its application to natural product research has opened new doors to drug discovery and development through genome mining and metabolic engineering. Over the past few years we have focused on the biosynthesis and bioengineering of microbial natural products from marine sediment-derived actinomycetes. The recent genome sequence analysis of two obligate marine actinomycetes belonging to the newly established genus Salinispora has revealed a rich and metabolically diverse secondary metabolome comprising roughly 10% of the genome. Using bioinformatics as our guide, we have been able to discover new natural product chemistry and novel biosynthetic processes as well as generate new chemical entities via gene engineering. Our progress on the biosynthesis, bioengineering, genome mining and ex vivo total synthesis of beta-lactone anticancer agent salinosporamide A, the polyene salinilactam A, and the polyketide antibiotic enterocin will be highlighted. |
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Pfizer Award Symposium
9:00 AM-11:40 AM, Monday, August 20, 2007 BCEC -- 109 A/B, Oral
Division of Biological Chemistry |