它们存在于许多种真菌、蓝藻菌、藻类及海洋生物中。它们起着一种生物性防晒的作用。 许多护肤品和化妆品中也能找到含有类菌胞素及类菌胞素样氨基酸（MAAs）的配方。 Emily Balskus 和 Christopher Walsh现在已经找到了产生类菌胞素及类菌胞素样氨基酸（MAAs）的基因，并在大肠杆菌中表达了该基因。
研究人员接着描绘出了4种可合成这些阻断阳光的分子的酶的特性，并披露了2种过去未知的形成亚胺的途径。
推荐英文摘要：
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1193637
The Genetic and Molecular Basis for Sunscreen Biosynthesis in Cyanobacteria
Emily P. Balskus and Christopher T. Walsh
Ultraviolet UV-A and UV-B radiation are harmful to living systems, causing damage to biological macromolecules. An important strategy for dealing with UV exposure is the biosynthesis of small-molecule sunscreens. Among such metabolites, the mycosporine and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are remarkable for their wide phylogenetic distribution and their unique chemical structures. Here, we report the identification of a MAA biosynthetic gene cluster in a cyanobacterium and the discovery of analogous pathways in other sequenced organisms. We have expressed the cluster in a heterologous bacterial host and characterized all four biosynthetic enzymes in vitro. In addition to clarifying the origin of the MAAs, these efforts have revealed two unprecedented enzymatic strategies for imine formation.
Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Science：生物性防晒之路
发布时间：2010-09-08 00:00 文章来源： 作者：
研究人员在蓝藻菌中发现了一个特别的基因簇，它能产生保护生物体不受紫外线辐射的分子。这些分子被称作类菌胞素及类菌胞素样氨基酸，或简称MAAs。
它们存在于许多种真菌、蓝藻菌、藻类及海洋生物中。它们起着一种生物性防晒的作用。 许多护肤品和化妆品中也能找到含有类菌胞素及类菌胞素样氨基酸（MAAs）的配方。 Emily Balskus 和 Christopher Walsh现在已经找到了产生类菌胞素及类菌胞素样氨基酸（MAAs）的基因，并在大肠杆菌中表达了该基因。
研究人员接着描绘出了4种可合成这些阻断阳光的分子的酶的特性，并披露了2种过去未知的形成亚胺的途径。
推荐英文摘要：
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1193637
The Genetic and Molecular Basis for Sunscreen Biosynthesis in Cyanobacteria
Emily P. Balskus and Christopher T. Walsh
Ultraviolet UV-A and UV-B radiation are harmful to living systems, causing damage to biological macromolecules. An important strategy for dealing with UV exposure is the biosynthesis of small-molecule sunscreens. Among such metabolites, the mycosporine and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are remarkable for their wide phylogenetic distribution and their unique chemical structures. Here, we report the identification of a MAA biosynthetic gene cluster in a cyanobacterium and the discovery of analogous pathways in other sequenced organisms. We have expressed the cluster in a heterologous bacterial host and characterized all four biosynthetic enzymes in vitro. In addition to clarifying the origin of the MAAs, these efforts have revealed two unprecedented enzymatic strategies for imine formation.
Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.