Complex Oxidation Chemistry in the Biosynthetic Pathways to Vancomycin/Teicoplanin Antibiotics

O2 can do: Investigations into the machinery responsible for the biosynthesis of the vancomycin/teicoplanin family of antibiotics have uncovered multiple examples of novel enzyme chemistry. In particular, oxidation chemistry plays key roles in constructing the complex structures of the natural products. From biosynthesis of rare amino acids to the tailoring of the peptide product, diverse enzyme-catalyzed reactions are discussed with a focus on structure and chemical mechanism.