Chapter 21. In vitro studies of lantibiotic biosynthesis.

The lantibiotics are ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide antibiotics containing the thioether crosslinks lanthionine (Lan) and 3-methyllanthionine (MeLan) and typically also the dehydroamino acids dehydroalanine (Dha) and (Z)-dehydrobutyrine (Dhb). These modifications are formed by dehydration of Ser/Thr residues to produce the Dha and Dhb structures, and subsequent conjugate additions of Cys residues onto the unsaturated amino acids to form thioether rings (Lan and MeLan). Several of the enzymatic reactions involved in lantibiotic biosynthesis have been reconstituted in vitro in recent years and these systems as well as a general overview of lantibiotic biosynthesis are discussed in this chapter.