Covering: up to 2013 Dinoflagellates produce unique polyketides characterized by their size and complexity. The biosynthesis of a limited number of such metabolites has been reported, with studies largely hampered by the low yield of compounds and the severe scrambling of label in the isotopically-labeled precursors. Nonetheless, of the successful biosynthetic experiments that have been reported, many surprising and unique processes have been discovered. This knowledge has been accessed through a series of biochemical labeling studies, and while limited molecular genetic data has been amassed, it is still in the early stages of development. In an attempt to meet this challenge, this review has compared some of the biosynthetic processes with similar ones identified in other microbes such as bacteria and myxobacteria, with the idea that similar genes and enzymes are employed by dinoflagellates.

Through a combination of chemical and molecular analysis, a new polyene macrolactam named micromonolactam was obtained from two marine-derived Micromonospora species. This new polyene metabolite is a constitutional isomer of salinilactam A but contains a different polyene pattern and one cis double bond, in contrast to the all trans structure reported for salinilactam A. The molecular analysis data also established that micromonolactam is a hybrid polyketide derived from 11 polyketide units and a modified glutamate starter unit.