Biosynthesis of versipelostatin: identification of an enzyme-catalyzed [4+2]-cycloaddition required for macrocyclization of spirotetronate-containing polyketides.

Versipelostatin (VST) is an unusual 17-membered macrocyclic polyketide product that contains a spirotetronate skeleton. In this study, the entire VST biosynthetic gene cluster (vst) spanning 108 kb from Streptomyces versipellis 4083-SVS6 was identified by heterologous expression using a bacterial artificial chromosome vector. Here, we demonstrate that an enzyme, VstJ, catalyzes the stereoselective [4+2]-cycloaddition between the conjugated diene and the exocyclic olefin of a newly identified tetronate-containing intermediate to form the spirotetronate skeleton during VST biosynthesis.