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B6db references: 20420449

type Journal Article
authors Seebeck, F.P.
title In vitro reconstitution of mycobacterial ergothioneine biosynthesis
journal J Am Chem Soc
Activity 4.4.1.36
Family 4.4.1.36
sel selected
ui 20420449
year (2010)
volume 132
number 19
pages 6632-3
 
abstract Ergothioneine is a histidine-derived thiol of bacterial and fungal origin that has also been isolated from animal and human tissue. Recent findings point to critical functions of ergothioneine in human physiology, but its role in microbial life is poorly understood. This report describes the identification of the ergothioneine biosynthetic gene cluster from mycobacteria and in vitro reconstitution of this process using recombinant proteins from Mycobacterium smegmatis. The key reactions are catalyzed by a methyltransferase that transfers three methyl groups to the alpha-amino moiety of histidine and an iron(II)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes oxidative sulfurization of trimethylhistidine. A search for homologous genes indicated that ergothioneine production is a frequent trait among fungi, actinobacteria, and cyanobacteria but also occurs in numerous bacteroidetes and proteobacteria.
last changed 2017/12/21 12:55

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