The polyketide synthase (PKS) of aspyrone biosynthesis: evidence for the enzyme bound intermediates from incorporation studies with N-acetylcysteamine thioesters in intact cells of Aspergillus melleus

The intact incorporation of deuterium labelled N-acetylcysteamine thioesters of crotonic, (2E,4E)-hexadienoic and (2E,4E,6E)-octatrienoic acids into aspyrone support the hypothesis that the aspyrone polyketide synthase resembles a fatty acid synthase in its mode of operation, and that it follows a processive mode of operation.