Characterization of NovP and NovN: Completion of Novobiocin Biosynthesis by Sequential Tailoring of the Noviosyl Ring

Two steps forward: The glycosylated aminocoumarin antibiotic novobiocin (1) is produced by Streptomyces spheroides and inhibits the bacterial type II topoisomerase DNA gyrase. The sugar-tailoring enzymes NovP and NovN that catalyze the final two steps in novobiocin biosynthesis were overproduced in Escherichia coli and characterized as a methyltransferase and carbamoyltransferase, respectively.