page_title: Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides
section_title: Lanthipeptides
hierarchical_section_title: Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides / Classifications / Lanthipeptides
caption_attribution_description: English: The structure of nisin, a lanthipeptide natural product. Lan and MeLan posttranslational modifications are shown in red.
context_page_description: Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides, also known as ribosomal natural products, are a diverse class of natural products of ribosomal origin. Consisting of more than 20 sub-classes, RiPPs are produced by a variety of organisms, including prokaryotes, eukaryotes, and archaea, and they possess a wide range of biological functions.
  As a consequence of the falling cost of genome sequencing and the accompanying rise in available genomic data, scientific interest in RiPPs has increased in the last few decades. Because the chemical structures of RiPPs are more closely predictable from genomic data than are other natural products, their presence in sequenced organisms can, in theory, be identified rapidly. This makes RiPPs an attractive target of modern natural product discovery efforts.
context_section_description: Lanthipeptides are one of the most well-studied families of RiPPs. The family is characterized by the presence of lanthionine (Lan) and 3-methyllanthionine (MeLan) residues in the final natural product. There are four major classes of lanthipeptides, delineated by the enzymes responsible for installation of Lan and MeLan. The dehydratase and cyclase can be two separate proteins or one multifunctional enzyme. Previously, lanthipeptides were known as "lantipeptides" before a consensus was reached in the field.
  Lantibiotics are lanthipeptides that have known antimicrobial activity. The founding member of the lanthipeptide family, nisin, is a lantibiotic that has been used to prevent the growth of food-born pathogens for over 40 years.
caption: The structure of nisin, a lanthipeptide natural product. Lan and MeLan posttranslational modifications are shown in red.
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