E-resources
Peer reviewed
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Narcross, Lauren; Fossati, Elena; Bourgeois, Leanne; Dueber, John E; Martin, Vincent J.J
Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.), 03/2016, Volume: 34, Issue: 3Journal Article
Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a family of ∼2500 alkaloids with both potential and realized pharmaceutical value, including most notably the opiates such as codeine and morphine. Only a few BIAs accumulate readily in plants, which limits the pharmaceutical potential of the family. Shifting BIA production to microbial sources could provide a scalable and flexible source of these compounds in the future. This review details the current status of microbial BIA synthesis and derivatization, including rapid developments in the past 6 months culminating in the synthesis of opioids from glucose in a microbial host.
