The Radical S-Adenosyl-l-methionine Enzyme MftC Catalyzes an Oxidative Decarboxylation of the C-Terminus of the MftA Peptide.

Ribosomally synthesized post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are encoded in the genomes of a wide variety of microorganisms, in the proximity of open reading frames that encode enzymes that conduct extensive modifications, many of which are novel. Recently, members of the radical S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) superfamily have been identified in these biosynthetic clusters. Herein, we demonstrate the putative radical SAM enzyme, MftC, oxidatively decarboxylates the C-terminus of the MftA peptide in the presence of the accessory protein MftB. The reaction catalyzed by MftC expands the repertoire of peptide-based radical SAM chemistry beyond the intramolecular cross-links.