Biosynthesis of Deazapurine-Containing Metabolites

描述（由申请人提供）：所有生物都会产生一系列化合物，这些化合物通常在初级代谢过程中不需要，但具有重要的调节功能。这些次生代谢物已被每个文明用来改善生命和治疗人类疾病。我们知道这些是激素、抗生素、抗肿瘤药物和抗病毒药物。由于这些代谢物如果过量产生，或者在不需要它们的情况下存在，就会损害细胞，因此它们的产生通常受到严格控制。了解细胞如何合成和调节次生代谢物的产生是必不可少的，如果人们能够利用它们作为人类治疗剂。去氮嘌呤是嘌呤衍生的次生代谢物。本文概述了细菌合成含地氮嘌呤次级代谢物的研究进展。我们的目标是利用基因组学、分子生物学和酶学的工具来形成这些代谢物如何合成的框架，并探索这些分子生物合成的化学转化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): All organisms produce a host of compounds that are generally not required in primary metabolic processes, but play important regulatory functions. These secondary metabolites have been exploited by every civilization to enhance life and cure human diseases. We know these as hormones, antibiotics, antitumor agents, and antivirals. Since these metabolites can harm cells if produced in excess, or if present when a need for them does not exist, their production is often strictly regulated. An understanding of how cells synthesize and regulate the production of secondary metabolites is essential if one is to be able to exploit them as human therapeutic agents. Deazapurines are secondary metabolites that are derived from purines. This proposal outlines studies on the biosynthesis of deazapurine-containing secondary metabolites by bacterIa. Our goal is to bring to fore the tools of genomics, molecular biology and enzymology to form the framework of how these metabolites are synthesized, and to exploring the chemical transformations that underlies the biosynthesis of these molecules.