Biosynthetic studies of ecteinascidins in the marine tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata

A viable cell-free extract of the marine tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata has been generated that is capable of transforming amino acids into the ecteinascidin antitumor alkaloids. Tyrosine and cysteine were identified as two building blocks used in ecteinascidin production. The enzyme preparations in the in vitro studies were fortified with ATP, Mg super(2+), NADH, and NADPH.