Hyalucidin A: A Bacterial RiPP Featuring a Benzofuranoindoline Motif Biosynthesized by Tandem P450 Catalysis

F Fang Zhou Yin (State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules Department of Neurology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC) School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China) Z Zi Jie Wang (State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Life Sciences) Y Yi Ling Hu (State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules Department of Neurology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC) School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China) C Cheng Li Liu (State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules Department of Neurology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC) School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China) Z Zhi Kai Guo (Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Haikou 571101 China) R Ren Xiang Tan (State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Life Sciences) J Jing Shi H Hui Ming Ge (State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Life Sciences)

Abstract

Abstract Despite the emergence of P450‐modified ribosomally synthesized and post‐translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) as a distinct and rapidly expanding class of natural products, their structural diversity has been limited to scaffolds catalyzed solely by single P450 enzymes. To access greater structural complexity, we targeted unexplored biosynthetic gene clusters encoding two P450s. This effort led to the discovery of hyalucidin A, which features the most intricate polycyclic cross‐linked architecture among reported P450‐RiPPs and represents the first bacterial RiPP containing a benzofuranoindoline motif. Through stepwise enzymatic analysis, combinatorial biosynthesis, and precursor peptide engineering, we deciphered the cooperative function and substrate tolerance of both P450s. Our work expands the biosynthetic logic of P450‐driven cyclization and provides a platform for engineering complex macrocyclic peptides.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 3
Published January 16, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (8)

F

Fang Zhou Yin

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules Department of Neurology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC) School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China

Z

Zi Jie Wang

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Life Sciences

Y

Yi Ling Hu

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules Department of Neurology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC) School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China

C

Cheng Li Liu

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Institute of Functional Biomolecules Department of Neurology Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC) School of Life Sciences Nanjing University Nanjing 210023 China

Z

Zhi Kai Guo

Hainan Key Laboratory of Tropical Microbe Resources Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Haikou 571101 China

R

Ren Xiang Tan

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Life Sciences

J

Jing Shi

H

Hui Ming Ge

State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Life Sciences