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Abstract

A method to produce novel polyketide structures by designing and introducing specified changes in the DNA governing the synthesis of the polyketide is disclosed. The biosynthesis of specific polyketide analogs is accomplished by genetic manipulation of a polyketide-producing microorganism by isolating a polyketide biosynthetic gene-containing DNA sequence, identifying enzymatic activities associated within the DNA sequence, introducing one or more specified changes into the DNA sequence which codes for one of the enzymatic activities which results in an altered DNA sequence, introducing the altered DNA sequence into the polyketide-producing microorganism to replace the original sequence, growing a culture of the altered microorganism under conditions suitable for the formation of the specific polyketide analog, and isolating the specific polyketide analog from the culture. The method is most useful when the segment of the chromosome modified is involved in an enzymatic activity associated with polyketide biosynthesis, particularly for manipulating polyketide synthase genes from Saccarharopolyspora or Streptomyces.

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First Claim