Identification, heterologous expression, and characterization of the tolypodiol biosynthetic gene cluster through an integrated approach.

Cyanobacteria are tremendous producers of biologically active natural products including the potent anti-inflammatory compound tolypodiol. However, linking biosynthetic gene clusters with compound production in cyanobacteria has lagged behind other bacterial genera. Tolypodiol is a meroterpenoid originally isolated from the cyanobacterium HT-58-2. Here we describe the identification of the tolypodiol biosynthetic gene cluster through heterologous expression in Anabaena, and in vitro protein assays of a methyltransferase found in the tolypodiol biosynthetic gene cluster. We have also identified similar biosynthetic gene clusters in cyanobacterial and Actinobacterial genomes suggesting a widespread ecological role for tolypodiol and related compounds. We also report the identification of two new analogs of tolypodiol that we have identified in both the original and heterologous producer. This work further illustrates the usefulness of Anabaena as a heterologous expression host for cyanobacterial compounds and how integrated approaches can help link natural product compounds with their producing biosynthetic gene clusters.