Precursor-directed biosynthesis of curcumin analogs in Escherichia coli.

Curcuminoids, natural products in the rhizome of turmeric, show various biological activities, including antioxidant and antitumor activities. For this reason, curcuminoids have been focused on as potential pharmaceuticals. Exogenous supplementation with various carboxylate precursors in genetically engineered Escherichia coli cells carrying an artificially assembled pathway for curcuminoid biosynthesis led to the production of 17 unnatural curcuminoids.