Thiopeptides: antibiotics with unique chemical structures and diverse biological activities

Thiopeptides are a class of natural product antibiotics with diverse structures and functions. Their complex structures and biosynthesis have intrigued researchers since their discovery in 1948, but not a single thiopeptide has been approved for human use. This is mainly due to their poor solubility, challenging synthesis, and low bioavailability. This review summarizes the current research on the biosynthesis and biological activity of thiopeptide antibiotics since 2015. The focus of research since 2015 has been on uncovering biosynthetic routes, developing methods for total synthesis, and understanding the biological activity of thiopeptides. Overall, there is still much to learn about this family of molecules.

Automated summary

Thiopeptides are a class of natural product antibiotics with diverse structures and functions, but none have been approved for human use due to challenges such as poor solubility and low bioavailability. Research since 2015 has focused on biosynthetic routes, total synthesis methods, and biological activity of thiopeptides, indicating there is still much to be learned about this family of molecules.