Chemoenzymatic Dissection of Polyketide β-Branching in the Bryostatin Pathway

β-Branching is an expansion upon canonical polyketide synthase extension that allows for the installation of diverse chemical moieties in several natural products. Several of these moieties are unique among natural products, including the two vinyl methylesters found in the core structure of bryostatins. This family of molecules is derived from an obligate bacterial symbiont of a sessile marine bryozoan, Bugula neritina. Within this family, bryostatin 1 has been investigated as an anticancer, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory compound. We have turned to the biosynthetic gene cluster within the bacterial symbiont to investigate the biosynthesis of bryostatins. Recent sequencing efforts resulted in the annotation of two missing genes: bryT and bryU. Using novel chemoenzymatic techniques, we have validated these as the missing enoyl-CoA hydratase and donor acyl carrier protein, essential components of the β-branching cassette of the bryostatin pathway. Together, this cassette installs the vinyl methylester moieties essential to the activity of bryostatins.