Sulfur plays a critical role for the development and maintenance of life on earth, which is
reflected by the wealth of primary metabolites, macromolecules, and cofactors bearing this …

Carbapenems are antibiotics of last resort in the clinic. Owing to their potency and broad-
spectrum activity, they are an important part of the antibiotic arsenal. The vital role of …

Highlights•The β-lactam antibiotics constitute> 60% of the antimicrobials used.•Five
evolutionarily distinct subclasses of β-lactams have evolved.•Three mechanisms of …

Despite their broad anti-infective utility, the biosynthesis of the paradigm carbapenem
antibiotic, thienamycin, remains largely unknown. Apart from the first two steps shared with a …

Complex carbapenems are important clinical antibiotics used to treat recalcitrant infections.
Their biosynthetic gene clusters contain three essential B12-dependent radical S …

Environmental bacteria, such as Streptomyces spp., produce specialized metabolites that
are potent antibiotics and therapeutics. Selected specialized antimicrobials are co-produced …

Covering: up to 2017 2-Oxoglutarate (2OG) dependent oxygenases and the homologous
oxidase isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) play crucial roles in the biosynthesis of β-lactam ring …

Complex carbapenem β-lactam antibiotics contain diverse C6 alkyl substituents constructed
by cobalamin-dependent radical SAM enzymes. TokK installs the C6 isopropyl chain found …

Background Streptomyces are widespread bacteria that contribute to the terrestrial carbon
cycle and produce the majority of clinically useful antibiotics. While interspecific genomic …

Radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzymes use a common catalytic core for diverse
transformations. While all radical SAM enzymes bind a Fe 4 S 4 cluster via a characteristic tri …