Description:
AbstractRepurposing the enzymes in microbial metabolism such as nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) is explored as a route towards better antibiotics. NRPSs are gigantic enzymatic assembly lines that form highly modified peptides from diverse building blocks. A novel hydroxamate assay detects full substrate profiles of NRPSs from cell-like substrate mixtures. Facile recording of substrate profiles has applications in natural product discovery and engineering.