Klusterbiosyntese

Klusterbiosyntese refers to the organization and operation of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) that encode the enzymes responsible for the production of secondary metabolites in microorganisms. In many microbes, the genes needed to make a given natural product are located together on the chromosome, plasmids, or genomic islands, enabling coordinated regulation and efficient production. The products include polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, terpenes, RiPPs (ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides), and other classes of compounds that often serve ecological functions such as antibiotics, siderophores, signaling molecules, or pigments.

A typical cluster contains core biosynthetic genes that form an assembly line for the product, along with tailoring enzymes, transporters, and regulatory elements. In polyketide synthases (PKS), modules carry domains such as ketosynthase (KS), acyltransferase (AT), and acyl carrier protein (ACP). In nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS), modules include adenylation (A), thiolation (T), and condensation (C) domains. Hybrids combining PKS and NRPS elements, as well as terpene synthases and RiPP-modifying enzymes, expand the diversity of products.

Discovery and applications: advances in genome sequencing and bioinformatics (notably genome mining tools) enable identification of BGCs in microbial genomes. Many clusters are silent or poorly expressed under standard conditions, presenting a challenge for product yield. Strategies such as promoter engineering, heterologous expression, and elicitation are used to access their potential. Klusterbiosyntese is central to natural product discovery, metabolic engineering, and synthetic biology.