Covering: 2000 to 2017

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) are the most versatile biocatalysts in nature. The catalytic competence of these extraordinary hemoproteins is broadly harnessed by numerous chemical defenders such as bacteria, fungi, and plants for the generation of diverse and complex natural products. Rather than the common tailoring reactions (e.g. hydroxylation and epoxidation) mediated by the majority of biosynthetic P450s, in this review, we will focus on the unusual P450 enzymes in relation to new chemistry, skeleton construction, and structure re-shaping via their own unique catalytic power or the intriguing protein–protein interactions between P450s and other proteins. These uncommon P450 reactions lead to a higher level of chemical space expansion for natural products, through which a broader spectrum of bioactivities can be gained by the host organisms.