Butenolides are important features of many bioactive compounds but known butenolide biosynthetic pathways are complex and challenging to harness. In this study, the authors report that avenolide, a 4-alkylbutenolide that regulates avermectin production in Streptomyces avermitilis, is assembled from a fatty acyl thioester by a multifunctional flavoenzyme and an iterative cytochrome P450.
- Wenrui Li
- Jinlian Zhao
- Shanshan Zhou