Biosynthetic Pathway Elucidation

The elucidation of biosynthetic pathways represents one of the most fundamental biochemical tasks. Whereas most primary metabolic pathways are biochemically and genetically well described, our understanding of the biosynthesis of natural products (compounds synthesized only by a small group of organisms) is often incomplete or even none existing.

For many years we focus already on the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways of the diterpenoid natural product Taxol and the small natural product family of melleolides. Melleolides represent sesquiterpenoid natural products with good antimicrobial activities, synthesized by certain fungi.

In addition to our work on terpenoid natural product pathways we are also interested in the biosynthesis of alcohols in Clostridia spp.