Cell-Free Biosynthesis of Fluoroacetate and 4-Fluorothreonine in Streptomyces cattleya

The biosynthesis of organofluorine compounds, for example, fluoroacetate, was demonstrated from (S)‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine (SAM) and fluoride ions in a cell‐free extract of Streptomyces cattleya. Incubation of 5′‐fluoro‐5′‐deoxyadenosine (5′‐FDA), the first organofluorine product formed in the fluoroacetate pathway, with the cell‐free extract resulted in the transient accumulation of fluoroacetaldehyde, thus confirming its role as an intermediate in the synthesis of fluorometabolites (see scheme).