The mycolactones: Biologically active polyketides produced by Mycobacterium ulcerans and related aquatic mycobacteria

Abstract

Mycolactones are a family of lipophilic small molecules and virulence factors produced as secondary metabolites by Mycobacterium ulcerans and some highly related aquatic mycobacteria. This chapter describes what is known about mycolactones and their unique role in the pathogenesis of Buruli ulcer, explains their unusual biosynthetic locus, and highlights the key questions that remain to be answered. A recent report describes an abundant extracellular matrix produced by M. ulcerans that harbors vesicles that are rich in mycolactones. Mycolactones are related to antibacterial macrolides such as erythromycin and immunosuppressants such as FK506 because they all share a polyketide‐derived macrol..