Biosynthetic Origins of the Ionophore Antibiotic Indanomycin

The pyrroloketoindane antibiotic indanomycin is produced by Streptomyces antibioticus NRRL 8167. These hybrid nonribosomal peptide-polyketide ionophore antibiotics are characterized by the presence of an unusual indane ring system, and there is interest in identifying the biochemical mechanisms guiding its biosynthesis. Following incorporation of [1-C-13]-labeled precursors, the primary metabolic origins of indanomycin were determined to be one unit Of L-proline, six units of malonyl-CoA and two units each of methylmalonyl-CoA and ethylmalonyl-CoA.