Structural and Functional Analysis of Pantocin A: An Antibiotic from Pantoea agglomerans Discovered by Heterologous Expression of Cloned Genes

Small-molecule chemistry and biochemical techniques have been used to determine the structure and mode of function of pantocin A (see structure), a naturally occurring antibiotic. Pantocin A functions as an inhibitor of histidine biosynthesis, as shown by its ability to inhibit the action of L-histidinol phosphate aminotransferase, which converts imidazole acetol phosphate to L-histidinol phosphate in Escherichia coli.