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Enzymatic Synthesis of a Sulfur-Analog of Penicillin Using the “cyclase” of Cephalosporium Acremonium

Abstract

By the use of a semi-purified preparation of isopenicillin N synthetase (“cyclase”) from Cephalosporium acremonium, a new penicillin was prepared enzymatically. The conversion of a sulfur analog of the normal tripeptide precursor (LLD-ACV) to the sulfur analog of isopenicillin N takes place in minutes. Such enzymatic reactions will be economically used in the future to generate new β-lactam antibiotics, now made by expensive synthetic chemistry.

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Wolfe, S., Hollander, I. & Demain, A. Enzymatic Synthesis of a Sulfur-Analog of Penicillin Using the “cyclase” of Cephalosporium Acremonium. Nat Biotechnol 2, 635–636 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0784-635

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