The second monthly issue of NPR is now online. This issue contains the annual marine natural products and the accompanying synthetic aspects reviews. The first of these articles, by John Blunt (University of Canterbury, New Zealand) and co-workers, describes all 961 new marine natural products which were reported in 2007, whilst the accompanying synthetic article, by Jonathan Morris (University of Adelaide, Australia) and Andy Phillips (University of Colorado, Boulder, US), gives an overview of marine natural product synthesis in 2007. 

This issue's Highlight article, by Isao Fujii (Iwate Medical University, Japan), covers the current state of heterologous expression of type I, II and III polyketide synthases. Also featured in this issue are a review by Andrew Gallimore (University of Cambridge, UK) on the biosynthesis of polyketide-derived polycyclic ethers, and a review by Jun Wu (Chinese Academy of Sciences) and colleagues on natural products from semi-mangrove flora. 

This issue also contains the first Hot off the Press article of 2009. From now on this topical digest will appear in even numbered issues of the journal.

The front cover of the issue (above) shows a bryozoan of the genus Triphyllozoon collected from the Fijian island of Tavenui at a depth of 10m.