An understanding of the link between biosynthetic pathways has offered the opportunity for the development of genetic manipulation however, in some cases, the driver has been the need for biologists to demonstrate their proficiency rather than a scientific, societal or economic advance. This has enabled those who have reservations about new technologies to criticise the development of sophisticated manipulation procedures. The biosynthesis of natural products has been an area of investigation for a considerable period and has enabled chemists to develop knowledge systems based on similarities in biogenesis and this has been both practically and philosophically important. It has helped to define the progress of the area. The investigation of natural products and how they might be assembled has aided the directed discovery of new enzyme systems (for example Diels Alderases) and of semi-synthesis of core natural product structures. The discovery of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs) has enabled chemists to postulate the potential existence of novel natural products driven by biological plausibility rather than chemical isolation. Gene editing is one of the most significant tools that has been developed to biologically manipulate natural products in a planned and programmable way.