Early Steps of the Biosynthesis of the Anticancer Antibiotic Pleurotin.

Pleurotin is a meroterpenoid specialized metabolite made by the fungus , and it is a lead anticancer molecule due to its irreversible inhibition of the thioredoxin-thioredoxin reductase system. Total synthesis of pleurotin has been achieved, including through a stereoselective route; however, its biosynthesis has not been characterized. In this study, we used isotope-labeled precursor feeding to show that the nonterpenoid quinone ring of pleurotin and its congeners is derived from phenylalanine.