Active-site residue, domain and module swaps in modular polyketide synthases

Sequence comparisons of multiple acyltransferase (AT) domains from modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) have highlighted a correlation between a short sequence motif and the nature of the extender unit selected. When this motif was specifically altered in the bimodular model PKS DEBS1-TE of Saccharopolyspora erythraea, the products included triketide lactones in which acetate extension units had been incorporated instead of propionate units at the predicted positions. We also describe a cassette system for convenient construction of hybrid modular PKSs based on the tylosin PKS in Streptomyces fradiae and demonstrate its use in domain and module swaps.