Semi-synthetic analogues of thiostrepton delimit the critical nature of tail region modifications in the control of protein biosynthesis and antibacterial activity.

We report the successful production of selectively-modified tail analogues of the natural product antibiotic thiostrepton, which have been used to evaluate the critical nature of this section of the antibiotic to its inhibition of protein synthesis. This work highlights the tail region as a critical area for future semi-synthetic or synthetically bioengineered thiostrepton derivatives.