Natural product biosynthesis—a Renaissance

Abstract

In the last decade, we have witnessed remarkable progress in finding new pathways and novel reactions in natural product biosynthesis. The rapid growth of genomic and metagenomic sequencing data combined with technical advances in genetic as well as synthetic biology have played a significant role in the recent achievements made in this field. Cloning and heterologous expression of these biosynthetic genes has facilitated the identification and characterization of new enzyme chemistries shedding considerable light on the biochemical origin of complex natural products. In terms of basic science, the mechanistic investigation of these recently discovered and unusual transformations has enhanced our fundamental understanding of enzyme catalysis. From a more practical perspective, this information is in turn offering new insights into how these biosynthetic machineries may be engineered and exploited for drug discovery and production. In this issue, some of these advances are highlighted in 13 expert reviews.