Biochemical Basis for the Regulation of Biosynthesis of Antiparasitics by Bacterial Hormones

Abstract

Diffusible small molecule microbial hormones drastically alter the expression profiles of antibiotics and other drugs in actinobacteria. For example, avenolide (a butenolide) regulates production of avermectin, derivatives of which are used in the treatment of river blindness and other parasitic diseases. Butenolides and γ-butyrolactones control production of pharmaceutically important secondary metabolites by binding to TetR family transcriptional repressors.