Other

Brown University

Leland Stanford Junior University

David E Cane

Chaitan Khosla

Guanglin Luo

Rembert Pieper

Camilla M Kao

Gary W Ashley

Jiaoyang Jiang

Steven Giglio

Christopher P Saint

Paul T Monis

Methods of detecting a source of a microbial contamination in a suspect sample include detecting at least one member selected from the group consisting of a microbial geosmin synthase, a microbial 2-methylisoborneol synthase and a microbial 2-methylgeranyl diphosphate synthase in the suspect sample. The method can include conducting a nucleic acid amplification assay in the presence of at least one member selected from the group consisting of at least one microbial geosmin primer and at least one microbial 2-methylisoborneol synthase primer on a sample obtained from a suspect source of the microbial contamination.

Methods of detecting sources of microorganism contamination

Modular polyketide synthases modified so as not to incorporate natural starter units can be used for clean synthesis of novel polyketides.

Modified modular polyketide synthase

Cell-free systems which effect the production of polyketides employing modular polyketide synthases are described. Libraries of new and/or known polyketides may also be produced in cell-free systems employing aromatic PKS, modular PKS or both.

Cell-free synthesis of polyketides

A polyketide, or an antibiotic which is obtainable from the polyketide by a method comprising treating the polyketide with a culture medium conditioned by , selected from the group consisting of:

Method to produce novel polyketides

Modified PKS gene clusters which produce novel polyketides in an efficient system in a host cell or in a cell free extract are described.

Growing community of inventors

Providence, RI, United States of America

David E Cane