20 Best Books on Biosynthesis

“Biosynthesis of Secondary Metabolites” Book Review: This book presents experiments and their results spanning over three decades, beginning with fundamental topics such as fatty biosynthesis, hydroxylation, methylation, and oxidative coupling in the introductory chapter. The author provides references for the covered topics. Subsequent chapters cover Techniques of Biosynthesis, Polyketides, Terpenes, Steroids, and other related topics with the aid of diagrammatic molecular structures. This book will be of great benefit to organic chemistry students.

“Advances in Natural Products Chemistry” Book Review: The book primarily focus on the extraction and isolation of biologically active compounds, accompanied by molecular diagrams throughout. Each topic concludes with key points and facts provided as remarks. Topics covered in the book include Terpenoids, Steroids, Fatty acids, Carbohydrates, Alkaloids, and others, with additional recommended reading provided for each topic to enhance comprehension. The book serves as a valuable resource for biochemical students seeking a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

“Biogenesis of Natural Products” Book Review: This book comprehensively covers the fundamental principles of organic reaction mechanisms. It provides an in-depth understanding of various topics, such as Biosynthetic Reactions, Isoprenoids, Biosynthesis of Alkaloids, Marine Natural Products, and more, making it accessible to students. The book presents a clear explanation of the formulations of Acetate, Mevlonic pathways, and the differences between them. It serves as an indispensable reference for Biosynthesis students seeking to enhance their knowledge in the field.

“Synthesis and biogenesis of Natural Products” Book Review: This book covers a wide range of topics on the synthesis and biogenesis of natural products. It offers clear explanations of the reaction mechanisms involved in the synthesis and biogenesis of essential natural products. The author suggests that undergraduate students should have a foundational understanding of natural products before delving into this book. It is a valuable resource for postgraduate organic chemistry students and teachers pursuing research in the field of natural products.

“Biosynthesis, Vol 6 (Specialist Periodical Reports)” Book Review: This book covers the Specialist Periodical Reports in the Biosynthesis area. It includes detailed information about the biosynthesis of polyketides, phenolic compounds, C5-C20, steroids, alkaloids, and other topics. The molecular structures of the chemical compounds are illustrated diagrammatically very well. The book also provides references for the detailed articles at the end of each topic. It serves as a valuable reference for organic chemistry enthusiasts.

“Natural Product Biosynthesis: Chemical Logic and Enzymatic Machinery” Book Review: This book contains vivid illustrations and diagrams of industrial machinery to enhance comprehension of key concepts. It covers a range of topics such as natural product classification, biosynthesis, and recent discoveries in organic products. The book includes case studies illustrating the synthesis of natural chemical products and explains the chemical logic behind them using primary metabolic building blocks. Each chapter concludes with a summary of important points. This book serves as a valuable resource for biologists, bioengineers, and synthetic biologists.

“Medicinal Natural Products: A Biosynthetic Approach” Book Review: This book adopts a biosynthetic approach to explore natural medicinal products derived from plants, microbes, and animals. Topics covered include alkylation reactions, fatty acids, polyketides, polyethers, and more. The book also provides abbreviations for commonly used chemical terms, as well as a “further reading” section for each chapter. The synthesis of natural products is described in detail, with molecular structures and step-by-step explanations. Written in a student-friendly manner, this book is a valuable resource for both undergraduate and graduate students interested in biosynthetic natural medicinal products.

“Multi-Scale Engineering and Modeling of Heterologous Natural Product Biosynthesis” Book Review: This book provides a systematic approach for engineering polyketide and isoprenoid products in bacteria. It features coloured images of molecular structures and graphs to aid in the comprehension of the concepts. The book covers topics such as stoichiometric modelling, genetic algorithms, and genome evolution methods in clear detail. Organic chemists interested in conducting experiments with Escherichia Coli will find this book to be a valuable reference.

“Biosynthesis of Polyketide Natural Products in Microorganisms” Book Review: The book offers an introduction to the basics of biosynthesis, such as cloning biosynthetic genes for the synthesis of griseusin and fusarin. It provides clear explanations of techniques like gene knock-out, enzyme purification, and more. With a focus on the biosynthesis of natural products in microorganisms, the book covers antibiotics and other biosynthetic natural products in detail. Molecular structures are well-illustrated throughout, and references are provided for further reading. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the biosynthesis of natural products in microorganisms.

“The Biosynthesis of Secondary Metabolites” Book Review: This book focuses on experimental procedures and their results in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. It begins with an introduction to the topic and includes marked paragraphs (t) for basic concepts. The book also features significant and up-to-date references. Its contents span from fundamental to advanced concepts in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.

“Secondary-Metabolite Biosynthesis and Metabolism (Environmental Science Research)” Book Review: This book is a collection of papers presented at the American Chemical Society’s Division of Agricultural & Food Chemistry, subdivision of Natural Products Symposium, titled “Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Secondary Natural Products” in April 1991, Atlanta, Georgia. It covers a diverse range of topics, including biotechnology, metabolism, enzymology, mechanistic organic chemistry, fermentation, and biosynthesis. The book is a useful textbook for professionals and students in the fields of mechanistic bio-organic chemistry and biotechnology, with topics covering antibiotics, polyketide synthetases, enzyme complexes, multifunctional proteins, and more.

“Biosynthesis and Molecular Genetics of Fungal Secondary Metabolites, Volume 2 (Fungal Biology)” Book Review: This book presents the latest developments in fungal secondary metabolisms, encompassing methodologies and biological aspects. It includes up-to-date information on fungal molecular biology, genomics, secondary metabolites, and metabolomics. The book focuses on research related to fungal secondary metabolites, showcasing recent advances in the field.

“Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae: Secondary Metabolites: Biosynthesis, Chemotaxonomy, Biological, and Economic Significance (A Handbook)” Book Review: This handbook offers an overview of the past two centuries of research on secondary metabolites in the solanaceous and convolvulaceous families of plants. The book organizes these metabolites based on their biosynthetic principles and covers the chemical structures and occurrence of almost all known individual secondary metabolites found in hundreds of wild and cultivated species within these families.

“Fungal Metabolites (Reference Series in Phytochemistry)” Book Review: This handbook offers comprehensive information on fungal metabolites, covering their chemistry, biotechnology, and various applications such as their use as anticancer agents. It also addresses global health concerns related to aflatoxin production in food and agriculture and offers detoxification solutions. The book categorizes different compound classes derived from fungal secondary metabolites, including ergot alkaloids and aflatoxins. This resource is ideal for readers from various backgrounds in chemistry, biology, life sciences, and medicine who are interested in working with fungal (secondary) metabolites and their applications.

“Chemical Aspects of Biosynthesis (Oxford Chemistry Primers)”
Book Review: This book is a useful resource for those interested in natural product biosynthesis. It covers topics such as biosynthetic pathways, enzymes, and the role of biochemistry. The book also explains the importance of these compounds in terms of their pharmacological and toxicological effects, as well as their ecological role. The author has presented the information in an easy-to-understand way and provided helpful illustrations and references for further reading.

“Microbial Phenazines: Biosynthesis, Agriculture and Health” Book Review: This book covers a variety of topics related to phenazines, a group of over a hundred nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds of bacterial origin that have long been of scientific interest due to their colorful pigmentation. The volume explores the biochemistry and genetics of phenazine synthesis, their physiological effects, and methods for their isolation and identification using spectroscopic and electrophoretic techniques. Additionally, the book features chapters on the origins of phenazine research in the biological control of plant pathogens, recent knowledge about phenazine-producing microorganisms and their environments, and the potential use of phenazines in cancer treatment.

“The Biosynthesis of Mycotoxins: A study in secondary Metabolism” Book Review: This book covers the biosynthetic analysis of mycotoxins, a heterogeneous group of metabolites formed along the terpene, polyketide, and amino acid routes. It also explores the unique biological properties and structural complexity of specialized secondary microbial metabolites. The book starts with an overview of the characteristics of secondary metabolites and their restricted biological occurrence. Chapters focus on the sporadic occurrence of mycotoxins as fungal metabolites, ergo chromes isolated from ergot, mold fungi, and lichens, and biosynthesis of unrelated fungal metabolites with toxicological data. This textbook is suitable for biochemists, organic chemists, mycologists, enzymologists, plant pathologists, toxicologists, and graduate students.