本项目拟通过对一类具有铜离子螯合能力的天然产物methanobactins（Mbns）的生物合成进行系统的研究工作。Mbns是由甲烷氧化菌产生的多肽类天然产物。此类化合物具有极高的铜离子螯合能力，在甲烷氧化菌摄取铜离子的过程中扮演着关键角色，并在工业金属污染移除和药物活性方面表现出相当的应用潜力。 尽管如此，目前仍然没有针对对此类化合物的生物合成机制的系统研究。本项目拟通过化学生物学手段对Mbns生物合成机理进行研究，重点解决对Mbns生物合成中必要的修饰酶进行鉴定，对修饰酶进行活性表征和系统的酶催化机理研究。本项目将为对此类天然产物的发现，结构改造和相关应用提供必要的基础。

Methanobactins （Mbns）are peptide natural products produced by methanotrophs. Mbns bind Cu(I) with high affinity and are responsible for the copper acquisition of methanotrophs from environment. Although their chemical and biological functions have attracted intense interest over past years, the biosynthesis of methanobactins remains largely unknown. Recent genome analysis reveals that methanobactins belong to the family of ribosomally synthesized and post-translational modified peptides (RiPPs). In this study, the biosynthesis of methanobactins will be investigated, aiming to identify the essential modification enzymes from Mbns biosynthetic pathway and characterize their enzymatic activities. The elucidation of methanobactin biosynthesis will help understand the novel enzymatic functions of Mbns modification enzymes, as well as the preparation of methanobactin analogs with improved metal binding ability.