A peptide dehydratase with core strength

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide (RiPP) natural products typically rely on substrate recognition through remote protein–protein interaction sites. Now, an atypical dehydratase, whose activity is directed by neighboring azole modifications, has been shown to produce a highly modified peptide hybrid bearing dehydroamino acids, enabling the synthesis of members of the dehydrazole family of RiPPs.