The possibilities of in vitro manipulation of such a
cluster have recently been reviewed by Walsh’s group.
Free living cyanophytes are not the only producers of
interesting chemical compounds that may have future utility
as anti-cancer agents. Evidence that compounds, originally
considered to be from marine invertebrates but now shown
to be from “symbiotic” cyanophytes, has recently been
reported. Expression of the active peptides in E. coli provides
yet another possibility for production of these clusters, further
expanding their potential.