Gene duplication, modularity and adaptation in the evolution of the aflatoxin gene cluster
Abstract Background The biosynthesis of aflatoxin (AF) involves over 20 enzymatic reactions here in a complex polyketide pathway that converts acetate and malonate to the intermediates sterigmatocystin (ST) and O-methylsterigmatocystin (OMST), the respective penultimate and ultimate precursors of AF.Although these precursors are chemically and stru