Sponge symbionts play defense (original) (raw)

Natural products

Nature Chemical Biology volume 10, pages 611–612 (2014) Cite this article

Subjects

The gene cluster that produces the sponge-derived cytotoxin calyculin A has been located in an uncultivated bacterial symbiont. Biochemical analyses reveal a pyrophosphorylated protoxin as the true biosynthetic product and suggest that calyculins result from activated chemical defense.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

$259.00 per year

only $21.58 per issue

Buy this article

USD 39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Figure 1: Investigating the biosynthesis and activation of the sponge-derived metabolite calyculin A.

The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

References

  1. Gerwick, W.H. & Moore, B.S. Chem. Biol. 19, 85–98 (2012).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  2. Ishihara, H. et al. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 159, 871–877 (1989).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Hentschel, U., Peil, J., Degnan, S.M. & Taylor, M.W. Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 10, 641–654 (2012).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  4. Schirmer, A. et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71, 4840–4849 (2005).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Wakimoto, T. et al. Nat. Chem. Biol. 10, 648–655 (2014).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  6. Bewley, C.A., Holland, N.D. & Faulkner, D.J. Experientia 52, 716–722 (1996).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  7. Hildebrand, M. et al. Nat. Prod. Rep. 21, 122–142 (2004).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Wilson, M.C. & Piel, J. Chem. Biol. 20, 636–647 (2013).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Wilson, M.C. et al. Nature 506, 58–62 (2014).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. Thoms, C. & Schupp, P.J. J. Chem. Ecol. 34, 1242–1252 (2008).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emily P. Balskus is at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,
    Emily P Balskus

Corresponding author

Correspondence toEmily P Balskus.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Balskus, E. Sponge symbionts play defense.Nat Chem Biol 10, 611–612 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio.1588

Download citation