Didemnin

Didemnins are cyclic depsipeptide compounds isolated from a tunicate (ascidian, or sea-squirt) of the genus Trididemnum (family of Didemnidæ) that were collected in the Caribbean Sea.

[4] Large amounts of didemnin B were chemically synthesized and it was advanced to clinical trials by the National Cancer Institute.

[9] The biosynthesis of depsipeptide Didemnin is governed by a hybrid non-ribosomal peptide synthetase-polyketide synthetase (NRPS-PKS) pathway.

[10] The proposed pathway of the biosynthesis of didemnin B starts on Did A. Modules 1 and 2 both incorporate a glycine on a β-OH fatty acid.

The two MT domains on DidJ methylates tyrosine twice, to yield N-methyl-O-methyl-tyrosine, finalizing the assembly of linear didemnin B.