Tirandamycin biosynthesis is mediated by co-dependent oxidative enzymes

Enzymes are capable of modifying complex organic structures with exquisite selectivity. Understanding these processes could help in the development and production of new bioactive compounds. Here, a complete reconstitution of tailoring steps in tirandamycin biosynthesis shows that two enzymes repeatedly exchange substrates to achieve several different oxidations en route to this family of antibiotic compounds.