This partner gene set (welH and orf9) is conserved between WI HT-29-1, HW IC-52-3 and FS PCC9431 with greater than 98% sequence identity at the protein level. Due to the absence of sequence data downstream of the published wel gene cluster from HW UTEXB1830 we were unable to establish the presence of a homologous halogenase in this strain [8]. In order to test our theory that WelH was involved in hapalindole biosynthesis, we overexpressed WelH from the wel gene cluster from WI HT-29-1. We used SsuE as the flavin reductase, as SsuE is commonly used as a flavin reductase with selleckchem other FADH2-dependent halogenases from diverse genera

[24]. However, biochemical assays with WelH and SsuE did not result in a halogenated product. Additionally, biochemical Talazoparib order assays using WelP1, WelH and SsuE were also unsuccessful. The absence of this halogenase from the hpi and amb gene clusters suggests that welH may not be involved in hapalindole biosynthesis. Recent reports by Hillwig et al. [8] suggest that the oxygenase WelO5 (numbering based on those in Hillwig et al. [8], not this paper, see below) might function to perform this role. Further investigation is required to determine the additional enzymes required for hapalindole biosynthesis with

P1. Oxygenase genes Comparison of the hpi, amb and wel gene clusters also identified 37 genes encoding oxygenases from all eight gene clusters (excluding wel from HW UTEXB1830). Each encoded protein sequence was compared to each other,

and those with an identity greater than 90% were believed to be homologous proteins, and labelled with the same number (Additional file 8). A total of 19 different oxygenase genes (O1-19) were identified (Table 3). Eleven of the 19 oxygenases (O1-4, O8-9, O11-14 and O19) were identified as Rieske-type oxygenase genes. The [2Fe-2S] cluster motif, the iron-sulfur Rieske domain and nonheme Fe(II)-binding motif were identified within the encoded protein sequence (Additional file 9). Both HpiO4 and AmbO4 appear to be atypical Rieske-homologous proteins. Analysis of all 19 oxygenase genes revealed none were common in all nine gene clusters. O1-3 and O7 were found Rebamipide exclusively in the amb gene cluster, suggesting these oxygenases are involved in the structural diversification of the ambiguines. O4-6 were identified in the hpi gene cluster from FS PCC9339 and the amb gene cluster. Furthermore, O8 was found exclusively in both of the hpi gene clusters identified in this study. Two oxygenases, O9 and O10, were identified only in the hpi gene cluster from FS ATCC43239. O12 and O14-17 were identified in three wel gene clusters (HW IC-52-3, WI HT-29-1 and PCC9339), and O11 and O13 have been identified in the wel gene cluster from WI HT-29-1 and HW IC-52-3.