S22: Employing polyketide synthase enzymes as biocatalysts to generate chiral building blocks

Complex polyketides are structurally-diverse secondary metabolites biosynthesized by type I polyketide synthases (PKSs). The broad medicinal utility of these compounds has generated intense interest in their production, yet their challenging total syntheses often preclude their development as therapeutic agents. Chiral precursors can simplify such syntheses, however the current chiral pool is somewhat limited (e.g. sugars, amino acids, Roche esters). As PKSs are readily-produced and environmentally-friendly biocatalysts, we are employing them in the syntheses of diketide and triketide chiral building blocks.