Macrolide biosynthesis: A single cytochrome P450, PicK, is responsible for the hydroxylations that generate methymycin, neomethymycin, and picromycin in Streptomyces venezuelae

The final step in the biosynthesis of methymycin, neomethymycin, and picromycin is an hydroxylation, shown to be carried out by the cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase, PicK. Direct comparison of the relative kcat/Km values for the two substrates, YC-17 and narbomycin, showed a threefold rate preference of picK for narbomycin.