aThe Dyson Perrins Laboratory, and The Oxford Centre for Molecular Sciences, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK;bDepartment of Biochemistry, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Box 576, S-751-23, Uppsala, Sweden
Abstract:
Two sequential steps are common to the biosynthesis of all penicillin-derived antibiotics: the reaction of three l-amino acids to give lδ-(α-aminoadipoyl)-l-cysteinyl-d-valine, and the oxidation of this tripeptide to give isopenicillin N. Recent studies on the peptide synthetase and oxidase enzymes responsible for these steps have implications for the mechanisms and structures of related enzymes involved in a range of metabolic processes.