The zealexin pathway is a biosynthetic hourglass with genetic redundancy and enzyme promiscuity producing protective antibiotic cocktails. a, Schematic representation of enzyme activities encoded by zealexin gene cluster I (Zx1 to Zx4), II (Zx5 to Zx7) and III (Zx8 to Zx10) including interactions with additional pathways, such as kauralexins (dark green), dolabralexins (light green) and costic acids (red). Dashed black line arrows represent undefined enzyme activities.