Combinatorial Biosynthesis–An Approach in the Near Future?

A gene library has been conceived for the construction of multienzyme complexes from natural and altered building blocks. The first encouraging results have been achieved with polyketide synthases (PKSs): enzyme hybrids were formed by “mixing” genes coding for PKSs, which provide novel polyketides such as 1. The ring frameworks, configurations, and/or functional groups of these novel compounds depend on the manipulated genes. (Figure Presented.)