#  New Use for SAM from Li Zha and the Balskus Group 

 





August 07, 2017

 

 

- [ News ](/news-categories/news)
 
 

 

 Li Zha, a sixth-year graduate student in the [Balskus Lab](https://www.microbialchemist.com), is the lead author on a new paper titled "Colibactin assembly line enzymes use S-adenosylmethionine to build a cyclopropane ring," from *Nature Chemical Biology*.

##  [Read the Full Article](http://www.nature.com/nchembio/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nchembio.2448.html?foxtrotcallback=true)

 **About the Discovery** During a study of an elusive human gut genotoxin, colibactin, Li and the Balskus group, in collaboration with the [Kelleher group at Northwestern University](http://www.kelleher.northwestern.edu), showcased a new use for the important and versatile cofactor *S*-adenosylmethionine (SAM). They identified an unusual nonribosomal peptide synthetase that utilizes SAM as a nonproteinogenic amino acid, and a novel route SAM is converted into the cyclopropane moiety that likely mediates colibactin’s genotoxic activity. **Learn more** about [Professor Balskus](https://chemistry.harvard.edu/news/new-publication-emily-balskus-morris-kahn-associate-professor-chemistry-chemical) and her work discovering, understanding, and manipulating microbial chemistry.    ![](/sites/g/files/omnuum7776/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/chemistry/files/li_zha_publication_image.png?itok=4YMclcVX) 

 



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Balskus ](/news-and-events-faculty/balskus)
- [ Faculty ](/news-event-type/faculty)
- [ Research ](/news-event-type/research)
 
 

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