Biosynthesis of cervimycin C, an aromatic polyketide antibiotic bearing an unusual dimethylmalonyl moiety.

Cervimycin C is the major component of an antibiotic complex produced by Streptomyces tendae HKI-179 consisting of a tetracycline-type aglycon, six tridesoxysugars and a rare dimethylmalonyl moiety. The biosynthetic origin of cervimycin was studied by molecular studies and feeding experiments, which reveal that the dimethylmalonate unit is not derived from malonate, but from valine. Copyright 2004 The Royal Society of Chemistry