Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31527851›Full record

ArticleNature chemistry2019

Macrocyclic colibactin induces DNA double-strand breaks via copper-mediated oxidative cleavage.

Zhong-Rui Li, Jie Li, Wenlong Cai, Jennifer Y H Lai, Shaun M K McKinnie, Wei-Peng Zhang, Bradley S Moore, Wenjun Zhang, Pei-Yuan Qian

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature chemistry, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 59 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
59citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
4.3field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

59 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 105 citations in OpenAlex.

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  16. Synergistic action of specialized metabolites from divergent biosynthesis in the human oral microbiome.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Zhong-Rui LiDepartment of Ocean Science and Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1800-1661
Jie LiCenter for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Wenlong CaiDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Jennifer Y H LaiDepartment of Ocean Science and Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9867-135X
Shaun M K McKinnieCenter for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6776-6455
Wei-Peng ZhangDepartment of Ocean Science and Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Bradley S MooreCenter for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4652-1253
Wenjun ZhangDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. wjzhang@berkeley.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9348-972X
Pei-Yuan QianDepartment of Ocean Science and Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. boqianpy@ust.hk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4074-9078
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology · HKScripps Institution of Oceanography · USUniversity of California, Berkeley · US

Funding

Natural Product Genome MiningR01GM085770 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI JENSEN, PAUL R, MOORE, BRADLEY S · 2009 to 2024
$5.8M
In Situ Natural Product Labeling and ApplicationsDP2AT009148 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · PI ZHANG, WENJUN · 2015 to 2020
$2.8M
NCCIH NIH HHS DP2 AT009148NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM085770
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Colibactin is an assumed human gut bacterial genotoxin, whose biosynthesis is linked to the clb genomic island that has a widespread distribution in pathogenic and commensal human enterobacteria. Colibactin-producing gut microbes promote colon tumour formation and enhance the progression of colorectal cancer via cellular senescence and death induced by DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs); however, the chemical basis that contributes to the pathogenesis at the molecular level has not been fully characterized. Here, we report the discovery of colibactin-645, a macrocyclic colibactin metabolite that recapitulates the previously assumed genotoxicity and cytotoxicity. Colibactin-645 shows strong DNA DSB activity in vitro and in human cell cultures via a unique copper-mediated oxidative mechanism. We also delineate a complete biosynthetic model for colibactin-645, which highlights a unique fate of the aminomalonate-building monomer in forming the C-terminal 5-hydroxy-4-oxazolecarboxylic acid moiety through the activities of both the polyketide synthase ClbO and the amidase ClbL. This work thus provides a molecular basis for colibactin's DNA DSB activity and facilitates further mechanistic study of colibactin-related colorectal cancer incidence and prevention.

Indexed as

CopperDNA Breaks, Double-StrandedMacrocyclic CompoundsMolecular ConformationOxidative StressPeptidesPolyketidescolibactinCopperMacrocyclic CompoundsPeptidesPolyketides

Identifiers

PMID31527851
PMCPMC6761029
OpenAlexW2973707757

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.