Structural Biology of RiPP Natural Products Biosynthesis

Over the past two decades, there have been significant advances in the understanding of enzymes that carry out the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Despite the wide range of chemical transformations that are elaborated by the cognate biosynthetic enzymes, all RiPP systems share some notable features. Here, we review advances in the structure-function studies of these biosynthetic enzymes, and how they have enabled avenues toward the design of new-to-nature compounds based on peptide precursors.