This latest issue of NPR features two Highlight articles which focus on tedanolide, a marine polyketide isolated from the Caribbean sponge Tedania ignis. Strategies towards the synthesis of the tedanolide family of compounds are described by Myriam Roy (University of Notre Dame, US) and Markus Kalesse (University of Hannover, Germany).

In the second Highlight, which is also featured on the cover of this issue, Rich Taylor (University of Notre Dame, US) describes how the protein synthesis inhibiting properties of the tedanolides and some other polyketides is providing a new lead in the search for potential chemotherapeutic agents.

Cover image for this issue

The third Highlight, by Christopher Calderone (Harvard Medical School, US), describes a newly characterised alkylation pathway in the biosynthesis of polyketides. The article emphasises how this alkylation sequence parallels isoprenoid biosynthesis from primary metabolism and also shows the scope of structures accessible via this pathway. 

This issue also features the latest Hot off the Press article and five reviews.