Chemical biology: Synthetic metabolism goes green
Nature, 468 (7322):
380--381 (Nov 17, 2010)DOI: 10.1038/468380a
Abstract
An extension of synthetic biology to a medicinal plant involves the transfer of chlorination equipment from bacteria. This exercise adds implements to the enzymatic toolbox for generating natural products. See Letter p.461 Plants offer a wondrous diversity of natural products for the chemist to explore and manipulate1. Their genetic, developmental and ecological complexity makes them tough targets, but O'Connor and colleagues (page 461 of this issue2) now provide an impressive example of how a plant's biosynthetic pathways can be tuned to fruitful ends.