thiostrepton and 2-methyltryptophan

Thiostrepton (TSR), an archetypal member of the family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified thiopeptide antibiotics, possesses a biologically important quinaldic acid (QA) moiety within the side-ring system of its characteristic thiopeptide framework. QA is derived from an independent l-Trp residue; however, its associated transformation process remains poorly understood. We here report that during the formation of QA, the key expansion of an indole to a quinoline relies on the activities of the pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-dependent protein TsrA and the flavoprotein TsrE. These proteins act in tandem to process the precursor 2-methyl- l-Trp through reversible transamination and selective oxygenation, thereby initiating a highly reactive rearrangement in which selective C2-N1 bond cleavage via hydrolysis for indole ring-opening is closely coupled with C2'-N1 bond formation via condensation for recyclization and ring expansion in the production of a quinoline ketone intermediate. This indole ring-expansion mechanism is unusual, and represents a new strategy found in nature for l-Trp-based functionalization.

Topics: Amination; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Indoles; Mass Spectrometry; Oxygen; Proteins; Thiostrepton; Tryptophan

ALL ABOUT ME: Pierre and co-workers have revealed mechanistic details of a tryptophan methyltransferase (TsrM) involved in the biosynthesis of the thiopeptide antibiotic, thiostrepton. Utilising cobalamin and a [4Fe-4S] cluster to generate 2-methyltryptophan from tryptophan, a key difference between this enzyme and other radical SAM methyltransferases is that the reaction is not initiated by a single-electron reduction of SAM to generate 5'-dA⋅.

Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Methylation; Methyltransferases; S-Adenosylmethionine; Streptomyces; Thiostrepton; Tryptophan; Vitamin B 12