Regulation of antibiotic production in Actinobacteria: new perspectives from the post-genomic era

Streptomyces coryli sp. nov., isolated from hazelnut orchard soil

A novel actinobacteria, isolate A7024T, was isolated from commercial hazelnut orchard soil sample which was collected at Duzce, West Black Sea region, Turkey. A polyphasic taxonomic study was carried out to determine the status of this isolate. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed using the neighbour-joining algorithm based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that isolate A7024T was positioned within the members of the genus Streptomyces with the highest sequence similarity (97.7 %) to Streptomyces cadmiisoli ZFG47T. The organism formed an extensively branched substrate and aerial hyphae which generated irregular rod-shaped spores with smooth-surfaces. The cell wall of strain A7024T contained ll-diaminopimelic. Glucose, mannose and ribose were detected as whole-cell sugars. Its polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, three unidentified phospholipids and three unidentified glycolipids. Major menaquinones were MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H4). The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. Strain A7024T had a genome size of 9.0 Mb with a genome G+C content of 71.5 mol%. The low level of 16S rRNA gene similarity, 19.3 ± 2.3% digital DNA–DNA hybridization and 76.94 % average nucleotide identity values, as well as some different phenotypic characteristics allowed the strain to be distinguished from the closely related type strains. Therefore, it is concluded that strain A7024T represents a novel species of the genus of Streptomyces , for which the name Streptomyces coryli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A7024T (=DSM 42066T=KCTC 29102T=NRRL B-24888T).

The Desotamide Family of Antibiotics

Microbial natural products underpin the majority of antimicrobial compounds in clinical use and the discovery of new effective antibacterial treatments is urgently required to combat growing antimicrobial resistance. Non-ribosomal peptides are a major class of natural products to which many notable antibiotics belong. Recently, a new family of non-ribosomal peptide antibiotics were discovered-the desotamide family. The desotamide family consists of desotamide, wollamide, surugamide, ulleungmycin and noursamycin/curacomycin, which are cyclic peptides ranging in size between six and ten amino acids in length. Their biosynthesis has attracted significant attention because their highly functionalised scaffolds are cyclised by a recently identified standalone cyclase. Here, we provide a concise review of the desotamide family of antibiotics with an emphasis on their biosynthesis.

Pleiotropic anti-anti-sigma factor BldG is phosphorylated by several anti-sigma factor kinases in the process of activating multiple sigma factors in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

The anti-anti-sigma factor BldG has a pleiotropic function in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), regulating both morphological and physiological differentiation. Together with the anti-sigma factor UshX, it participates in a partner-switching activation of the sigma factor σ^H, which has a dual role in the osmotic stress response and morphological differentiation in S. coelicolor A3(2). In addition to UshX, BldG also interacts with the anti-sigma factor ApgA, although no target sigma factor has yet been identified. However, neither UshX nor ApgA phosphorylates BldG. This phosphorylation is provided by the anti-sigma factor RsfA, which is specific for the late developmental sigma factor σ^F. However, BldG is phosphorylated in the rsfA mutant, suggesting that some other anti-sigma factors containing HATPase_c kinase domain are capable to phosphorylate BldG in vivo. Bacterial two-hybrid system (BACTH) was therefore used to investigate the interactions of all suitable anti-sigma factors of S. coelicolor A3(2) with BldG. At least 15 anti-sigma factors were found to interact with BldG. These interactions were confirmed by native PAGE. In addition to RsfA, BldG is specifically phosphorylated on the conserved phosphorylation Ser57 residue by at least seven additional anti-sigma factors. However, only one of them, SCO7328, has been shown to interact with three sigma factors, σ^G, σ^K and σ^M. A mutant with deleted SCO7328 gene was prepared in S. coelicolor A3(2), however, no specific function of SCO7328 in growth, differentiation or stress response could be attributed to this anti-sigma factor. These results suggest that BldG is specifically phosphorylated by several anti-sigma factors and it plays a role in the regulation of several sigma factors in S. coelicolor A3(2). This suggests a complex regulation of the stress response and differentiation in S. coelicolor A3(2) through this pleiotropic anti-sigma factor.

Expression of genes of the Pho regulon is altered in Streptomyces coelicolor

Most currently used antibiotics originate from Streptomycetes and phosphate limitation is an important trigger of their biosynthesis. Understanding the molecular processes underpinning such regulation is of crucial importance to exploit the great metabolic diversity of these bacteria and get a better understanding of the role of these molecules in the physiology of the producing bacteria. To contribute to this field, a comparative proteomic analysis of two closely related model strains, Streptomyces lividans and Streptomyces coelicolor was carried out. These strains possess identical biosynthetic pathways directing the synthesis of three well-characterized antibiotics (CDA, RED and ACT) but only S. coelicolor expresses them at a high level. Previous studies established that the antibiotic producer, S. coelicolor, is characterized by an oxidative metabolism and a reduced triacylglycerol content compared to the none producer, S. lividans, characterized by a glycolytic metabolism. Our proteomic data support these findings and reveal that these drastically different metabolic features could, at least in part, due to the weaker abundance of proteins of the two component system PhoR/PhoP in S. coelicolor compared to S. lividans. In condition of phosphate limitation, PhoR/PhoP is known to control positively and negatively, respectively, phosphate and nitrogen assimilation and our study revealed that it might also control the expression of some genes of central carbon metabolism. The tuning down of the regulatory role of PhoR/PhoP in S. coelicolor is thus expected to be correlated with low and high phosphate and nitrogen availability, respectively and with changes in central carbon metabolic features. These changes are likely to be responsible for the observed differences between S. coelicolor and S. lividans concerning energetic metabolism, triacylglycerol biosynthesis and antibiotic production. Furthermore, a novel view of the contribution of the bio-active molecules produced in this context, to the regulation of the energetic metabolism of the producing bacteria, is proposed and discussed.

Applying microbial ecology to antimicrobial discovery

Introduction of antibiotics into clinical use has contributed to some of the greatest improvements to public health in the 20th century. Most antibiotics are based on antimicrobials that were isolated from environmental microorganisms over 50 years ago, but emerging resistance requires discovery of new molecules and development of these molecules into therapeutics. Bioinformatic analyses of microbial genomes indicate that many more microbial bioactive molecules remain undiscovered. Understanding when, where, and why these molecules are produced informs efforts to tap into the hidden unexplored chemical diversity. Expanding the search to undersampled ecological niches and improving culturing techniques will ensure discovery of new antibiotics.

Complete genome sequence of high-yield strain S. lincolnensis B48 and identification of crucial mutations contributing to lincomycin overproduction

The lincosamide family antibiotic lincomycin is a widely used antibacterial pharmaceutical generated by Streptomyces lincolnensis, and the high-yield strain B48 produces 2.5 g/L lincomycin, approximately 30-fold as the wild-type strain NRRL 2936. Here, the genome of S. lincolnensis B48 was completely sequenced, revealing a ~10.0 Mb single chromosome with 71.03% G + C content. Based on the genomic information, lincomycin-related primary metabolism network was constructed and the secondary metabolic potential was analyzed. In order to dissect the overproduction mechanism, a comparative genomic analysis with NRRL 2936 was performed. Three large deletions (LDI-III), one large inverted duplication (LID), one long inversion and 80 small variations (including 50 single nucleotide variations, 13 insertions and 17 deletions) were found in B48 genome. Then several crucial mutants contributing to higher production phenotype were validated. Deleting of a MarR-type regulator-encoding gene slinc377 from LDI, and the whole 24.7 kb LDII in NRRL 2936 enhanced lincomycin titer by 244% and 284%, respectively. Besides, lincomycin production of NRRL 2936 was increased to 7.7-fold when a 71 kb supercluster BGC33 from LDIII was eliminated. As for the duplication region, overexpression of the cluster situated genes lmbB2 and lmbU, as well as two novel transcriptional regulator-encoding genes (slinc191 and slinc348) elevated lincomycin titer by 77%, 75%, 114% and 702%, respectively. Furthermore, three negative correlation genes (slinc6156, slinc4481 and slinc6011) on lincomycin biosynthesis, participating in regulation were found out. And surprisingly, inactivation of RNase J-encoding gene slinc6156 and TPR (tetratricopeptide repeat) domain-containing protein-encoding gene slinc4481 achieved lincomycin titer equivalent to 83% and 68% of B48, respectively, to 22.4 and 18.4-fold compared to NRRL 2936. Therefore, the comparative genomics approach combined with confirmatory experiments identified that large fragment deletion, long sequence duplication, along with several mutations of genes, especially regulator genes, are crucial for lincomycin overproduction.

A Two-Component regulatory system with opposite effects on glycopeptide antibiotic biosynthesis and resistance

The glycopeptide A40926, produced by the actinomycete Nonomuraea gerenzanensis, is the precursor of dalbavancin, a second-generation glycopeptide antibiotic approved for clinical use in the USA and Europe in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The final product of the biosynthetic pathway is an O-acetylated form of A40926 (acA40926). Glycopeptide biosynthesis in N. gerenzanensis is dependent upon the dbv gene cluster that encodes, in addition to the two essential positive regulators Dbv3 and Dbv4, the putative members of a two-component signal transduction system, specifically the response regulator Dbv6 and the sensor kinase Dbv22. The aim of this work was to assign a role to these two genes. Our results demonstrate that deletion of dbv22 leads to an increased antibiotic production with a concomitant reduction in glycopeptide resistance. Deletion of dbv6 results in a similar phenotype, although the effects are not as strong as in the Δdbv22 mutant. Consistently, quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that Dbv6 and Dbv22 negatively regulate the regulatory genes (dbv3 and dbv4), as well as some dbv biosynthetic genes (dbv23 and dbv24), whereas Dbv6 and Dbv22 positively regulate transcription of the single, cluster-associated resistance gene. Finally, we demonstrate that exogenously added acA40926 and its precursor A40926 can modulate transcription of dbv genes but with an opposite extent: A40926 strongly stimulates transcription of the Dbv6/Dbv22 target genes while acA40926 has a neutral or negative effect on transcription of those genes. We propose a model in which glycopeptide biosynthesis in N. gerenzanensis is modulated through a positive feedback by the biosynthetic precursor A40926 and a negative feedback by the final product acA40926. In addition to previously reported control systems, this sophisticated control loop might help the producing strain cope with the toxicity of its own product. This work, besides leading to improved glycopeptide producing strains, enlarges our knowledge on the regulation of glycopeptide biosynthesis in actinomycetes, setting N. gerenzanensis and its two-component system Dbv6-Dbv22 apart from other glycopeptide producers.

Regulation of Antimycin Biosynthesis Is Controlled by the ClpXP Protease

Natural products produced by Streptomyces species underpin many industrially and medically important compounds. However, the majority of the ∼30 biosynthetic pathways harbored by an average species are not expressed in the laboratory. This unrevealed biochemical diversity is believed to comprise an untapped resource for natural product drug discovery. Major roadblocks preventing the exploitation of unexpressed biosynthetic pathways are a lack of insight into their regulation and limited technology for activating their expression. Our findings reveal that the abundance of σ^AntA, which is the cluster-situated regulator of antimycin biosynthesis, is controlled by the ClpXP protease. These data link proteolysis to the regulation of natural product biosynthesis for the first time to our knowledge, and we anticipate that this will emerge as a major strategy by which actinobacteria regulate production of their natural products. Further study of this process will advance understanding of how expression of secondary metabolism is controlled and will aid pursuit of activating unexpressed biosynthetic pathways.

The survival of any microbe relies on its ability to respond to environmental change. Use of extracytoplasmic function (ECF) RNA polymerase sigma (σ) factors is a major strategy enabling dynamic responses to extracellular signals. Streptomyces species harbor a large number of ECF σ factors, nearly all of which are uncharacterized, but those that have been characterized generally regulate genes required for morphological differentiation and/or response to environmental stress, except for σ^AntA, which regulates starter-unit biosynthesis in the production of antimycin, an anticancer compound. Unlike a canonical ECF σ factor, whose activity is regulated by a cognate anti-σ factor, σ^AntA is an orphan, raising intriguing questions about how its activity may be controlled. Here, we reconstituted in vitro ClpXP proteolysis of σ^AntA but not of a variant lacking a C-terminal di-alanine motif. Furthermore, we show that the abundance of σ^AntAin vivo was enhanced by removal of the ClpXP recognition sequence and that levels of the protein rose when cellular ClpXP protease activity was abolished. These data establish direct proteolysis as an alternative and, thus far, unique control strategy for an ECF RNA polymerase σ factor and expands the paradigmatic understanding of microbial signal transduction regulation.

IMPORTANCE Natural products produced by Streptomyces species underpin many industrially and medically important compounds. However, the majority of the ∼30 biosynthetic pathways harbored by an average species are not expressed in the laboratory. This unrevealed biochemical diversity is believed to comprise an untapped resource for natural product drug discovery. Major roadblocks preventing the exploitation of unexpressed biosynthetic pathways are a lack of insight into their regulation and limited technology for activating their expression. Our findings reveal that the abundance of σ^AntA, which is the cluster-situated regulator of antimycin biosynthesis, is controlled by the ClpXP protease. These data link proteolysis to the regulation of natural product biosynthesis for the first time to our knowledge, and we anticipate that this will emerge as a major strategy by which actinobacteria regulate production of their natural products. Further study of this process will advance understanding of how expression of secondary metabolism is controlled and will aid pursuit of activating unexpressed biosynthetic pathways.

Gene Cluster Activation in a Bacterial Symbiont Leads to Halogenated Angucyclic Maduralactomycins and Spirocyclic Actinospirols

Growth from spores activated a biosynthetic gene cluster in Actinomadura sp. RB29, resulting in the identification of two novel groups of halogenated polyketide natural products, named maduralactomycins and actinospirols. The unique tetracyclic and spirocyclic structures were assigned based on a combination of NMR analysis, chemoinformatic calculations, X-ray crystallography, and ¹³C labeling studies. On the basis of HRMS² data, genome mining, and gene expression studies, we propose an underlying noncanonical angucycline biosynthesis and extensive post-polyketide synthase (PKS) oxidative modifications.

The Application of Regulatory Cascades in Streptomyces: Yield Enhancement and Metabolite Mining

Streptomyces is taken as an important resource for producing the most abundant antibiotics and other bio-active natural products, which have been widely used in pharmaceutical and agricultural areas. Usually they are biosynthesized through secondary metabolic pathways encoded by cluster situated genes. And these gene clusters are stringently regulated by interweaved transcriptional regulatory cascades. In the past decades, great advances have been made to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms involved in antibiotic production in Streptomyces. In this review, we summarized the recent advances on the regulatory cascades of antibiotic production in Streptomyces from the following four levels: the signals triggering the biosynthesis, the global regulators, the pathway-specific regulators and the feedback regulation. The production of antibiotic can be largely enhanced by rewiring the regulatory networks, such as overexpression of positive regulators, inactivation of repressors, fine-tuning of the feedback and ribosomal engineering in Streptomyces. The enormous amount of genomic sequencing data implies that the Streptomyces has potential to produce much more antibiotics for the great diversities and wide distributions of biosynthetic gene clusters in Streptomyces genomes. Most of these gene clusters are defined cryptic for unknown or undetectable natural products. In the synthetic biology era, activation of the cryptic gene clusters has been successfully achieved by manipulation of the regulatory genes. Chemical elicitors, rewiring regulatory gene and ribosomal engineering have been employed to crack the potential of cryptic gene clusters. These have been proposed as the most promising strategy to discover new antibiotics. For the complex of regulatory network in Streptomyces, we proposed that the discovery of new antibiotics and the optimization of industrial strains would be greatly promoted by further understanding the regulatory mechanism of antibiotic production.

Aerobic composting as an effective cow manure management strategy for reducing the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes: An integrated meta-omics study

Livestock manure is considered as an important source for spreading antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment, and therefore poses a direct threat to public health. Whereas the effects of reused manure on soil microbial communities and ARGs have been studied extensively, comprehensive characterizations of microbial communities and ARGs of manure produced by different management methods are not well understood. Here, we analyzed the fate of microbial communities and ARGs of cow manure treated by three conventional management strategies: aerobic composting, mechanical drying and precipitation, applying an integrated-omics approach combining metagenomics and metaproteomics. Integrated-omics demonstrated that composted manure contained the lowest diversity of microbial community and ARGs compared with manure treated by other two strategies. Quantitative PCR methods revealed that the abundances of ARGs were reduced by over 83 % after composting for 14 days, regardless of the season. Besides, the potential ARG hosts Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas dominating mechanical drying process were sharply decreased in abundances after composting. The significant co-occurrence networks among bacteria, ARGs and transposase gene tnpA-01 in composting samples indicated the important role of these bacteria in the dissemination of ARGs. These findings offer insight into potential strategies to control the spread of ARGs during livestock manure reuse.

Genome rearrangements and megaplasmid loss in the filamentous bacterium Kitasatospora viridifaciens are associated with protoplast formation and regeneration

Filamentous Actinobacteria are multicellular bacteria with linear replicons. Kitasatospora viridifaciens DSM 40239 contains a linear 7.8 Mb chromosome and an autonomously replicating plasmid KVP1 of 1.7 Mb. Here we show that lysozyme-induced protoplast formation of the multinucleated mycelium of K. viridifaciens drives morphological diversity. Characterisation and sequencing of an individual revertant colony that had lost the ability to differentiate revealed that the strain had not only lost most of KVP1 but also carried deletions in the right arm of the chromosome. Strikingly, the deletion sites were preceded by insertion sequence elements, suggesting that the rearrangements may have been caused by replicative transposition and homologous recombination between both replicons. These data indicate that protoplast formation is a stressful process that can lead to profound genetic changes.

Enhancement of bleomycin production in Streptomyces verticillus through global metabolic regulation of N-acetylglucosamine and assisted metabolic profiling analysis

BACKGROUND

Bleomycin is a broad-spectrum glycopeptide antitumor antibiotic produced by Streptomyces verticillus. Clinically, the mixture of bleomycin A2 and bleomycin B2 is widely used in combination with other drugs for the treatment of various cancers. As a secondary metabolite, the biosynthesis of bleomycin is precisely controlled by the complex extra-/intracellular regulation mechanisms, it is imperative to investigate the global metabolic and regulatory system involved in bleomycin biosynthesis for increasing bleomycin production.

RESULTS

N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), the vital signaling molecule controlling the onset of development and antibiotic synthesis in Streptomyces, was found to increase the yields of bleomycins significantly in chemically defined medium. To mine the gene information relevant to GlcNAc metabolism, the DNA sequences of dasR-dasA-dasBCD-nagB and nagKA in S. verticillus were determined by chromosome walking. From the results of Real time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), the repression of the expression of nagB and nagKA by the global regulator DasR was released under induction with GlcNAc. The relief of blmT expression repression by BlmR was the main reason for increased bleomycin production. DasR, however, could not directly affect the expression of the pathway-specific repressor BlmR in the bleomycins gene cluster. With at the beginning of bleomycin synthesis, the supply of the specific precursor GDP-mannose played the key role in bleomycin production. Genetic engineering of the GDP-mannose synthesis pathway indicated that phosphomannose isomerase (ManA) and phosphomannomutase (ManB) were key enzymes for bleomycins synthesis. Here, the blmT, manA and manB co-expression strain OBlmT/ManAB was constructed. Based on GlcNAc regulation and assisted metabolic profiling analysis, the yields of bleomycin A2 and B2 were ultimately increased to 61.79 and 36.9 mg/L, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Under GlcNAc induction, the elevated production of bleomycins was mainly associated with the alleviation of the inhibition of BlmT, so blmT and specific precursor synthesis pathways were genetically engineered for bleomycins production improvement. Combination with subsequent metabolomics analysis not only effectively increased the bleomycin yield, but also extended the utilization of chitin-derived substrates in microbial-based antibiotic production.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis reveals the significant pleiotropic regulatory effects of LmbU on lincomycin biosynthesis

Background

Lincomycin, produced by Streptomyces lincolnensis, is a lincosamide antibiotic and widely used for the treatment of the infective diseases caused by Gram-positive bacteria. The mechanisms of lincomycin biosynthesis have been deeply explored in recent years. However, the regulatory effects of LmbU that is a transcriptional regulator in lincomycin biosynthetic (lmb) gene cluster have not been fully addressed.

Results

LmbU was used to search for homologous LmbU (LmbU-like) proteins in the genomes of actinobacteria, and the results showed that LmbU-like proteins are highly distributed regulators in the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) of secondary metabolites or/and out of the BGCs in actinomycetes. The overexpression, inactivation and complementation of the lmbU gene indicated that LmbU positively controls lincomycin biosynthesis in S. lincolnensis. Comparative transcriptomic analysis further revealed that LmbU activates the 28 lmb genes at whole lmb cluster manner. Furthermore, LmbU represses the transcription of the non-lmb gene hpdA in the biosynthesis of l-tyrosine, the precursor of lincomycin. LmbU up-regulates nineteen non-lmb genes, which would be involved in multi-drug flux to self-resistance, nitrate and sugar transmembrane transport and utilization, and redox metabolisms.

Conclusions

LmbU is a significant pleiotropic transcriptional regulator in lincomycin biosynthesis by entirely activating the lmb cluster and regulating the non-lmb genes in Streptomyces lincolnensis. Our results first revealed the pleiotropic regulatory function of LmbU, and shed new light on the transcriptional effects of LmbU-like family proteins on antibiotic biosynthesis in actinomycetes.

mpCRISTAR: Multiple Plasmid Approach for CRISPR/Cas9 and TAR-Mediated Multiplexed Refactoring of Natural Product Biosynthetic Gene Clusters

Multiplexed refactoring provides a tool for rapid transcriptional optimization of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) through simultaneous replacement of multiple native promoters with synthetic counterparts. Here, we present the mpCRISTAR, a multiple plasmid-based CRISPR/Cas9 and TAR (transformation-associated recombination), that enables a rapid and highly efficient, multiplexed refactoring of natural product BGCs in yeast. A series of CRISPR plasmids with different auxotrophic markers that could be stably maintained in yeast cells were constructed to express multiple gRNAs simultaneously. We demonstrated the multiplexing capacity of mpCRISTAR using the actinorhodin biosynthetic gene cluster as a model cluster. mpCRISTAR1, in which each CRISPR plasmid expresses one gRNA, allows for simultaneous replacement of up to four promoter sites with nearly 100% efficiency. By expressing two gRNAs from one CRISPR plasmid, termed mpCRISTAR2, we simultaneously replaced a total of six and eight promoter sites with 68% and 32% efficiency, respectively. The mpCRISTAR could be performed iteratively using two different auxotrophic markers, allowing for refactoring of any type of BGC regardless of their operon complexities. The mpCRISTAR platform we report here would become a useful tool for the discovery of new natural products from transcriptionally silent biosynthetic gene clusters present in microbial genomes.

MmfL catalyses formation of a phosphorylated butenolide intermediate in methylenomycin furan biosynthesis

MmfL forms phosphorylated butenolides that undergo dephosphorylation and rearrangement to yield methylenomycin furan (MMF) signalling molecules that induce antibiotic production in Streptomyces coelicolor.

Antibiotic production in Streptomyces is organized by a division of labor through terminal genomic differentiation

One of the hallmark behaviors of social groups is division of labor, where different group members become specialized to carry out complementary tasks. By dividing labor, cooperative groups increase efficiency, thereby raising group fitness even if these behaviors reduce individual fitness. We find that antibiotic production in colonies of Streptomyces coelicolor is coordinated by a division of labor. We show that S. coelicolor colonies are genetically heterogeneous because of amplifications and deletions to the chromosome. Cells with chromosomal changes produce diversified secondary metabolites and secrete more antibiotics; however, these changes reduced individual fitness, providing evidence for a trade-off between antibiotic production and fitness. Last, we show that colonies containing mixtures of mutants and their parents produce significantly more antibiotics, while colony-wide spore production remains unchanged. By generating specialized mutants that hyper-produce antibiotics, streptomycetes reduce the fitness costs of secreted secondary metabolites while maximizing the yield and diversity of these products.

CtcS, a MarR family regulator, regulates chlortetracycline biosynthesis

Background

Chlortetracycline (CTC) is one of the commercially important tetracyclines (TCs) family product and is mainly produced by Streptomyces. CTC is still in a great demand due to its broad-spectrum activity against pathogens. Engineering transcriptional control allows the cell to allocate its valuable resources towards protein production and provides an important method for the build-up of desired metabolites. Despite extensive efforts concerning transcriptional regulation for increasing the productivities of TCs, the regulatory mechanisms of the CTC biosynthesis remain poorly understood.

Results

In this study, the possible regulatory function of CtcS, a potential member of MarR (multiple antibiotic resistance regulator) family of transcriptional regulators in S. aureofaciens F3, was demonstrated. Knockdown of ctcS altered the transcription of several biosynthesis-related genes and reduced the production of tetracycline (TC) and CTC, without obvious effect on morphological differentiation and cell growth. Especially, CtcS directly repressed the transcription of the adjacent divergent gene ctcR (which encodes a putative TC resistance efflux protein). A CtcS-binding site was identified within the promoter region of ctcR by DNase I footprinting and an inverted repeat (5′-CTTGTC-3′) composed of two 6-nt half sites in the protected region was found. Moreover, both CTC and TC could attenuate the binding activity of CtcS with target DNA.

Conclusion

ctcS regulated the production of TC and CTC in S. aureofaciens F3 and the overexpression of it could be used as a simple approach for the construction of engineering strain with higher productivity. Meanwhile, CtcS was characterized as a TC- and CTC-responsive MarR family regulator. This study provides a previously unrecognized function of CtcS and will benefit the research on the regulatory machinery of the MarR family regulators.

Diversity, Ecology, and Prevalence of Antimicrobials in Nature

Microorganisms possess a variety of survival mechanisms, including the production of antimicrobials that function to kill and/or inhibit the growth of competing microorganisms. Studies of antimicrobial production have largely been driven by the medical community in response to the rise in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and have involved isolated pure cultures under artificial laboratory conditions neglecting the important ecological roles of these compounds. The search for new natural products has extended to biofilms, soil, oceans, coral reefs, and shallow coastal sediments; however, the marine deep subsurface biosphere may be an untapped repository for novel antimicrobial discovery. Uniquely, prokaryotic survival in energy-limited extreme environments force microbial populations to either adapt their metabolism to outcompete or produce novel antimicrobials that inhibit competition. For example, subsurface sediments could yield novel antimicrobial genes, while at the same time answering important ecological questions about the microbial community.

Comparative Genomics and Metabolomics Analyses of Clavulanic Acid-Producing Streptomyces Species Provides Insight Into Specialized Metabolism

Clavulanic acid is a bacterial specialized metabolite, which inhibits certain serine β-lactamases, enzymes that inactivate β-lactam antibiotics to confer resistance. Due to this activity, clavulanic acid is widely used in combination with penicillin and cephalosporin (β-lactam) antibiotics to treat infections caused by β-lactamase-producing bacteria. Clavulanic acid is industrially produced by fermenting Streptomyces clavuligerus, as large-scale chemical synthesis is not commercially feasible. Other than S. clavuligerus, Streptomyces jumonjinensis and Streptomyces katsurahamanus also produce clavulanic acid along with cephamycin C, but information regarding their genome sequences is not available. In addition, the Streptomyces contain many biosynthetic gene clusters thought to be "cryptic," as the specialized metabolites produced by them are not known. Therefore, we sequenced the genomes of S. jumonjinensis and S. katsurahamanus, and examined their metabolomes using untargeted mass spectrometry along with S. clavuligerus for comparison. We analyzed the biosynthetic gene cluster content of the three species to correlate their biosynthetic capacities, by matching them with the specialized metabolites detected in the current study. It was recently reported that S. clavuligerus can produce the plant-associated metabolite naringenin, and we describe more examples of such specialized metabolites in extracts from the three Streptomyces species. Detailed comparisons of the biosynthetic gene clusters involved in clavulanic acid (and cephamycin C) production were also performed, and based on our analyses, we propose the core set of genes responsible for producing this medicinally important metabolite.

Recent Advances in Synthetic Biology Approaches to Optimize Production of Bioactive Natural Products in Actinobacteria

Actinobacteria represent one of the most fertile sources for the discovery and development of natural products (NPs) with medicinal and industrial importance. However, production titers of actinobacterial NPs are usually low and require optimization for compound characterization and/or industrial production. In recent years, a wide variety of novel enabling technologies for engineering actinobacteria have been developed, which have greatly facilitated the optimization of NPs biosynthesis. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of synthetic biology approaches for overproducing desired drugs, as well as for the discovery of novel NPs in actinobacteria, including dynamic metabolic regulation based on metabolite-responsive promoters or biosensors, multi-copy chromosomal integration of target biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), promoter engineering-mediated rational BGC refactoring, and construction of genome-minimized Streptomyces hosts. Integrated with metabolic engineering strategies developed previously, these novel enabling technologies promise to facilitate industrial strain improvement process and genome mining studies for years to come.

The ADEP Biosynthetic Gene Cluster in Streptomyces hawaiiensis NRRL 15010 Reveals an Accessory clpP Gene as a Novel Antibiotic Resistance Factor

The increasing threat posed by multiresistant bacterial pathogens necessitates the discovery of novel antibacterials with unprecedented modes of action. ADEP1, a natural compound produced by Streptomyces hawaiiensis NRRL 15010, is the prototype for a new class of acyldepsipeptide (ADEP) antibiotics. ADEP antibiotics deregulate the proteolytic core ClpP of the bacterial caseinolytic protease, thereby exhibiting potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including multiresistant pathogens. ADEP1 and derivatives, here collectively called ADEP, have been previously investigated for their antibiotic potency against different species, structure-activity relationship, and mechanism of action; however, knowledge on the biosynthesis of the natural compound and producer self-resistance have remained elusive. In this study, we identified and analyzed the ADEP biosynthetic gene cluster in S. hawaiiensis NRRL 15010, which comprises two NRPSs, genes necessary for the biosynthesis of (4S,2R)-4-methylproline, and a type II polyketide synthase (PKS) for the assembly of highly reduced polyenes. While no resistance factor could be identified within the gene cluster itself, we discovered an additional clpP homologous gene (named clpP _ADEP) located further downstream of the biosynthetic genes, separated from the biosynthetic gene cluster by several transposable elements. Heterologous expression of ClpP_ADEP in three ADEP-sensitive Streptomyces species proved its role in conferring ADEP resistance, thereby revealing a novel type of antibiotic resistance determinant.IMPORTANCE Antibiotic acyldepsipeptides (ADEPs) represent a promising new class of potent antibiotics and, at the same time, are valuable tools to study the molecular functioning of their target, ClpP, the proteolytic core of the bacterial caseinolytic protease. Here, we present a straightforward purification procedure for ADEP1 that yields substantial amounts of the pure compound in a time- and cost-efficient manner, which is a prerequisite to conveniently study the antimicrobial effects of ADEP and the operating mode of bacterial ClpP machineries in diverse bacteria. Identification and characterization of the ADEP biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces hawaiiensis NRRL 15010 enables future bioinformatics screenings for similar gene clusters and/or subclusters to find novel natural compounds with specific substructures. Most strikingly, we identified a cluster-associated clpP homolog (named clpP _ADEP) as an ADEP resistance gene. ClpP_ADEP constitutes a novel bacterial resistance factor that alone is necessary and sufficient to confer high-level ADEP resistance to Streptomyces across species.

Actinobacteria Derived from Algerian Ecosystems as a Prominent Source of Antimicrobial Molecules

Actinobacteria, in particular "rare actinobacteria" isolated from extreme ecosystems, remain the most inexhaustible source of novel antimicrobials, offering a chance to discover new bioactive metabolites. This is the first overview on actinobacteria isolated in Algeria since 2002 to date with the aim to present their potential in producing bioactive secondary metabolites. Twenty-nine new species and one novel genus have been isolated, mainly from the Saharan soil and palm groves, where 37.93% of the most abundant genera belong to Saccharothrix and Actinopolyspora. Several of these strains were found to produce antibiotics and antifungal metabolites, including 17 new molecules among the 50 structures reported, and some of these antibacterial metabolites have shown interesting antitumor activities. A series of approaches used to enhance the production of bioactive compounds is also presented as the manipulation of culture media by both classical methods and modeling designs through statistical strategies and the associations with diverse organisms and strains. Focusing on the Algerian natural sources of antimicrobial metabolites, this work is a representative example of the potential of a closely combined study on biology and chemistry of natural products.

Screening and Transcriptional Analysis of Polyketide Synthases and Non-ribosomal Peptide Synthetases in Bacterial Strains From Krubera-Voronja Cave

Identification of novel bioactive compounds represents an important field in modern biomedical research. Microorganisms of the underexplored environments, such as deserts, hot springs, oceans, and caves are highly promising candidates for screening such metabolites. Screening for biosynthetic genes is the most effective strategy to characterize bioactivity in a certain environment. However, knowledge is either scant or non-existent about the expression of the biosynthetic genes encoding for various bioactive compounds in the microorganisms from the caves. The aim of the current study was to screen for the genes of polyketide synthases and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases in Krubera–Voronja Cave (43.4184 N 40.3083 E, Western Caucasus) bacterial isolates as well as to evaluate the expression of these genes under laboratory conditions. In total, 91 bacterial strains isolated from the cave were screened for the presence of polyketide synthase and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes. Phenotypically inactive strains were the main focus (the test group) of our study, while the strains with the identified antibacterial activity served as the control group. Our PCR-based screening clearly showed that the majority of the strains harbored at least one biosynthetic gene. Prediction of the putative products allowed us to identify bioactive compounds with antibacterial, anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimycoplasmic, antiviral, insecticidal, and thrombolytic activity. For most polyketide synthases and non-ribosomal peptide synthetases, putative products could not be predicted; they are unknown. Qualitative transcriptional analysis did not show substantial differences between the test group and the control group of the strains. One to four biosynthetic genes were constitutively expressed in all the tested strains, irrespective of the group. Quantitative transcriptional analysis of the constitutively expressed biosynthetic genes demonstrated that the expression of a particular gene could be affected by both the amount of the nutrients in the culture medium and the growth phase.

An Isotopic Ratio Outlier Analysis Approach for Global Metabolomics of Biosynthetically Talented Actinomycetes

Actinomycetes are powerhouses of natural product biosynthesis. Full realization of this biosynthetic potential requires approaches for recognizing novel metabolites and determining mediators of metabolite production. Herein, we develop an isotopic ratio outlier analysis (IROA) ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC/MS) global metabolomics strategy for actinomycetes that facilitates recognition of novel metabolites and evaluation of production mediators. We demonstrate this approach by determining impacts of the iron chelator 2,2′-bipyridyl on the Nocardiopsis dassonvillei metabolome. Experimental and control cultures produced metabolites with isotopic carbon signatures that were distinct from corresponding “standard” culture metabolites, which were used as internal standards for LC/MS. This provided an isotopic MS peak pair for each metabolite, which revealed the number of carbon atoms and relative concentrations of metabolites and distinguished biosynthetic products from artifacts. Principal component analysis (PCA) and random forest (RF) differentiated bipyridyl-treated samples from controls. RF mean decrease accuracy (MDA) values supported perturbation of metabolites from multiple amino acid pathways and novel natural products. Evaluation of bipyridyl impacts on the nocazine/XR334 diketopiperazine (DKP) pathway revealed upregulation of amino acid precursors and downregulation of late stage intermediates and products. These results establish IROA as a tool in the actinomycete natural product chemistry arsenal and support broad metabolic consequences of bipyridyl.

Sarpeptins A and B, Lipopeptides Produced by Streptomyces sp. KO-7888 Overexpressing a Specific SARP Regulator

Whole genome analysis of Streptomyces sp. KO-7888 has revealed various pathway-specific transcriptional regulatory genes associated with silent biosynthetic gene clusters. A Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory protein gene, speR, located adjacent to a novel nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene cluster, was overexpressed in the wild-type strain. The resulting recombinant strain of Streptomyces sp. KO-7888 produced two new lipopeptides, sarpeptins A and B. Their structures were elucidated by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, NMR analysis, and the advanced Marfey's method. The distinct modular sections of the corresponding NRPS biosynthetic gene cluster were characterized, and the assembly line for production of the lipopeptide chain was proposed.

A Single Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Is Responsible for the Production of Bagremycin Antibiotics and Ferroverdin Iron Chelators

Access to whole-genome sequences has exposed the general incidence of the so-called cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), thereby renewing their interest for natural product discovery. As a consequence, genome mining is the often first approach implemented to assess the potential of a microorganism for producing novel bioactive metabolites. By revealing a new level of complexity of natural product biosynthesis, we further illustrate the difficulty of estimation of the panel of molecules associated with a BGC based on genomic information alone. Indeed, we found that the same gene cluster is responsible for the production of compounds which differ in terms of structure and bioactivity. The production of these different compounds responds to different environmental triggers, which suggests that multiplication of culture conditions is essential for revealing the entire panel of molecules made by a single BGC.

Biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are organized groups of genes involved in the production of specialized metabolites. Typically, one BGC is responsible for the production of one or several similar compounds with bioactivities that usually only vary in terms of strength and/or specificity. Here we show that the previously described ferroverdins and bagremycins, which are families of metabolites with different bioactivities, are produced from the same BGC, whereby the fate of the biosynthetic pathway depends on iron availability. Under conditions of iron depletion, the monomeric bagremycins are formed, representing amino-aromatic antibiotics resulting from the condensation of 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid with p-vinylphenol. Conversely, when iron is abundantly available, the biosynthetic pathway additionally produces a molecule based on p-vinylphenyl-3-nitroso-4-hydroxybenzoate, which complexes iron to form the trimeric ferroverdins that have anticholesterol activity. Thus, our work shows a unique exception to the concept that BGCs should only produce a single family of molecules with one type of bioactivity and that in fact different bioactive molecules may be produced depending on the environmental conditions.

A highly processive actinobacterial topoisomerase I - thoughts on Streptomyces' demand for an enzyme with a unique C-terminal domain

Topoisomerase I (TopA) is an essential enzyme that is required to remove excess negative supercoils from chromosomal DNA. Actinobacteria encode unusual TopA homologues with a unique C-terminal domain that contains lysine repeats and confers high enzyme processivity. Interestingly, the longest stretch of lysine repeats was identified in TopA from Streptomyces, environmental bacteria that undergo complex differentiation and produce a plethora of secondary metabolites. In this review, we aim to discuss potential advantages of the lysine repeats in Streptomyces TopA. We speculate that the chromosome organization, transcriptional regulation and lifestyle of these species demand a highly processive but also fine-tuneable relaxase. We hypothesize that the unique TopA provides flexible control of chromosomal topology and globally regulates gene expression.

Microbe-driven chemical ecology: past, present and future

In recent years, research in the field of Microbial Ecology has revealed the tremendous diversity and complexity of microbial communities across different ecosystems. Microbes play a major role in ecosystem functioning and contribute to the health and fitness of higher organisms. Scientists are now facing many technological and methodological challenges in analyzing these complex natural microbial communities. The advances in analytical and omics techniques have shown that microbial communities are largely shaped by chemical interaction networks mediated by specialized (water-soluble and volatile) metabolites. However, studies concerning microbial chemical interactions need to consider biotic and abiotic factors on multidimensional levels, which require the development of new tools and approaches mimicking natural microbial habitats. In this review, we describe environmental factors affecting the production and transport of specialized metabolites. We evaluate their ecological functions and discuss approaches to address future challenges in microbial chemical ecology (MCE). We aim to emphasize that future developments in the field of MCE will need to include holistic studies involving organisms at all levels and to consider mechanisms underlying the interactions between viruses, micro-, and macro-organisms in their natural environments.

Multi-level regulation of coelimycin synthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

Despite being a yellow pigment visible to the human eye, coelimycin (CPK) remained to be an undiscovered secondary metabolite for over 50 years of Streptomyces research. Although the function of this polyketide is still unclear, we now know that its "cryptic" nature is attributed to a very complex and precise mechanism of cpk gene cluster regulation in the model actinomycete S. coelicolor A3(2). It responds to the stringent culture density and timing of the transition phase by the quorum-sensing butanolide system and to the specific nutrient availability/uptake signals mediated by the global (pleiotropic) regulators; many of which are two-component signal transduction systems. The final effectors of this regulation cascade are predicted to be two cluster-situated Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory proteins (SARPs) putatively activating the expression of type I polyketide synthase (PKS I) genes. After its synthesis, unstable, colorless antibiotic coelimycin A reacts with specific compounds in the medium losing its antibacterial properties and giving rise to yellow coelimycins P1 and P2. Here we review the current knowledge on coelimycin synthesis regulation in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). We focus on the regulatory feedback loop which interconnects the butanolide system with other cpk cluster-situated regulators. We also present the effects exerted on cpk genes expression by the global, pleiotropic regulators, and the regulatory connections between cpk and other biosynthetic gene clusters.

A GntR-Like Transcription Factor HypR Regulates Expression of Genes Associated With L-Hydroxyproline Utilization in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

Bacteria from the genus Streptomyces have been long exploited as the most prolific producers of antibiotics, other secondary metabolites and enzymes. They are important members of soil microbial communities that can adapt to changing conditions thank to the fine regulation of gene expression in response to environmental signals. Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is a model organism for molecular studies with the most deeply recognized interactions within the complex metabolic and regulatory network. However, details about molecular signals recognized by specialized regulatory proteins as well as their direct targets are often missing. We describe here a zinc-binding protein HypR (SCO6294) which belongs to FadR subfamily of GntR-like regulators. The DNA sequence 5'-TACAATGTCAC-3' recognized by the HypR protein in its own promoter region was identified by DNase I footprinting. Binding of six DNA fragments containing similar sequences located in other promoter regions were confirmed by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The sequences of 7 in vitro-determined binding sites were assembled to generate a logo of the HypR binding motif, 5'-CTNTGC(A/C)ATGTCAC-3'. Comparison of luciferase reporter genes expression under the control of cloned promoter regions in S. coelicolor A3(2) wild type and deletion mutant strains revealed, that the HypR protein acts as a repressor of its target genes. Genes belonging to the regulon of HypR code for enzymes putatively involved in collagen degradation and utilization of L-hydroxyproline (L-Hyp) as concluded from predicted structure and conserved domains. Their transcription is induced in the wild type strain by the addition of L-Hyp to the culture medium. Moreover, knockout of one of the genes from the predicted L-Hyp utilization operon abolished the ability of the strain to grow on L-Hyp as a sole source of carbon. To our knowledge, this work is the first indication of the existence of the pathway of L-hydroxyproline catabolism in Streptomycetes.

Molecular Fingerprints for a Novel Enzyme Family in Actinobacteria with Glucosamine Kinase Activity

The discovery of novel enzymes involved in antibiotic biosynthesis pathways is currently a topic of utmost importance. The high levels of antibiotic resistance detected worldwide threaten our ability to combat infections and other 20th-century medical achievements, namely, organ transplantation or cancer chemotherapy. We have identified and characterized a unique family of enzymes capable of phosphorylating glucosamine to glucosamine-6-phosphate, a crucial molecule directly involved in the activation of antibiotic production pathways in Actinobacteria, nature’s main source of antimicrobials. The consensus sequence identified for these glucosamine kinases will help establish a molecular fingerprint to reveal yet-uncharacterized sequences in antibiotic producers, which should have an important impact in biotechnological and biomedical applications, including the enhancement and optimization of antibiotic production.

Actinobacteria have long been the main source of antibiotics, secondary metabolites with tightly controlled biosynthesis by environmental and physiological factors. Phosphorylation of exogenous glucosamine has been suggested as a mechanism for incorporation of this extracellular material into secondary metabolite biosynthesis, but experimental evidence of specific glucosamine kinases in Actinobacteria is lacking. Here, we present the molecular fingerprints for the identification of a unique family of actinobacterial glucosamine kinases. Structural and biochemical studies on a distinctive kinase from the soil bacterium Streptacidiphilus jiangxiensis unveiled its preference for glucosamine and provided structural evidence of a phosphoryl transfer to this substrate. Conservation of glucosamine-contacting residues across a large number of uncharacterized actinobacterial proteins unveiled a specific glucosamine binding sequence motif. This family of kinases and their genetic context may represent the missing link for the incorporation of environmental glucosamine into the antibiotic biosynthesis pathways in Actinobacteria and can be explored to enhance antibiotic production.

LmbU, a Cluster-Situated Regulator for Lincomycin, Consists of a DNA-Binding Domain, an Auto-Inhibitory Domain, and Forms Homodimer

Few studies were reported about the regulatory mechanism of lincomycin biosynthesis since it was found in 1962. Although we have proved that a cluster-situated regulator (CSR) LmbU (GenBank Accession No. ABX00623.1) positively modulates lincomycin biosynthesis in Streptomyces lincolnensis NRRL 2936, the molecular mechanism of LmbU regulation is still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that LmbU binds to the target lmbAp by a central DNA-binding domain (DBD), which interacts with the binding sites through the helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif. N-terminal of LmbU includes an auto-inhibitory domain (AID), inhibiting the DNA-binding activity of LmbU. Without the AID, LmbU variant can bind to its own promoter. Interestingly, compared to other LmbU homologs, the homologs within the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) of known antibiotics generally contain N-terminal AIDs, which offer them the abilities to play complex regulatory functions. In addition, cysteine 12 (C12) has been proved to be mainly responsible for LmbU homodimer formation in vitro. In conclusion, LmbU homologs naturally exist in hundreds of actinomycetes, and belong to a new regulatory family, LmbU family. The present study reveals the DBD, AID and dimerization of LmbU, and sheds new light on the regulatory mechanism of LmbU and its homologs.

Genome-Wide Mutagenesis Links Multiple Metabolic Pathways with Actinorhodin Production in Streptomyces coelicolor

Streptomyces species are important antibiotic-producing organisms that tightly regulate their antibiotic production. Actinorhodin is a typical antibiotic produced by the model actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor To discover the regulators of actinorhodin production, we constructed a library of 50,000 independent mutants with hyperactive Tn5 transposase-based transposition systems. Five hundred fifty-one genes were found to influence actinorhodin production in 988 individual mutants. Genetic complementation suggested that most of the insertions (76%) were responsible for the changes in antibiotic production. Genes involved in diverse cellular processes such as amino acid biosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall homeostasis, and DNA metabolism affected actinorhodin production. Genome-wide mutagenesis can identify novel genes and pathways that impact antibiotic levels, potentially aiding in engineering strains to optimize the production of antibiotics in Streptomyces IMPORTANCE Previous studies have shown that various genes can influence antibiotic production in Streptomyces and that intercommunication between regulators can complicate antibiotic production. Therefore, to gain a better understanding of antibiotic regulation, a genome-wide perspective on genes that influence antibiotic production was needed. We searched for genes that affected production of the antibiotic actinorhodin using a genome-wide gene disruption system. We identified 551 genes that altered actinorhodin levels, and more than half of these genes were newly identified effectors. Some of these genes may be candidates for engineering Streptomyces strains to improve antibiotic production levels.

Discovery of novel glycerolated quinazolinones from Streptomyces sp. MBT27

Actinobacteria are a major source of novel bioactive natural products. A challenge in the screening of these microorganisms lies in finding the favorable growth conditions for secondary metabolite production and dereplication of known molecules. Here, we report that Streptomyces sp. MBT27 produces 4-quinazolinone alkaloids in response to elevated levels of glycerol, whereby quinazolinones A (1) and B (2) form a new sub-class of this interesting family of natural products. Global Natural Product Social molecular networking (GNPS) resulted in a quinazolinone-related network that included anthranilic acid (3), anthranilamide (4), 4(3H)-quinazolinone (5), and 2,2-dimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinazolin-4(3H)-one (6). Actinomycins D (7) and X2 (8) were also identified in the extracts of Streptomyces sp. MBT27. The induction of quinazolinone production by glycerol combined with biosynthetic insights provide evidence that glycerol is integrated into the chemical scaffold. The unprecedented 1,4-dioxepane ring, that is spiro-fused into the quinazolinone backbone, is most likely formed by intermolecular etherification of two units of glycerol. Our work underlines the importance of varying the growth conditions for the discovery of novel natural products and for understanding their biosynthesis.

Toward a global picture of bacterial secondary metabolism

Bacterial metabolism is comprised of primary metabolites, the intracellular molecules of life that enable growth and proliferation, and secondary metabolites, predominantly extracellular molecules that facilitate a microbe's interaction with its environment. While our knowledge of primary metabolism and its web of interconnected intermediates is quantitative and holistic, significant knowledge gaps remain in our understanding of the secondary metabolomes of bacteria. In this Perspective, I discuss the main challenges involved in obtaining a global, comprehensive picture of bacterial secondary metabolomes, specifically in biosynthetically "gifted" microbes. Recent methodological advances that can meet these challenges will be reviewed. Applications of these methods combined with ongoing innovations will enable a detailed picture of global secondary metabolomes, which will in turn shed light onto the biology, chemistry, and enzymology underlying natural products and simultaneously aid drug discovery.

Transcriptome-guided target identification of the TetR-like regulator SACE_5754 and engineered overproduction of erythromycin in Saccharopolyspora erythraea

Background

Erythromycin A (Er-A) produced by the actinomycete Saccharopolyspora erythraea is an important antibiotic extensively used in human medicine. Dissecting of transcriptional regulators and their target genes associated with erythromycin biosynthesis is crucial to obtain erythromycin overproducer strains through engineering of relevant regulatory elements in S. erythraea.

Results

Here, we identified a TetR family transcriptional regulator (TFR), SACE_5754, negatively controlling erythromycin production. SACE_5754 indirectly repressed the transcription of ery cluster and cannot regulate itself and its adjacent gene SACE_5753. RNA-seq coupled with EMSAs and qRT-PCR was performed to identify the targets of SACE_5754, and confirmed that transcription of SACE_0388 (encoding a pyruvate, water diknase), SACE_3599 (encoding an antibiotic resistance macrolide glycosyltransferase) and SACE_6149 (encoding a FAD-binding monooxygenase) were directly repressed by SACE_5754. A consensus palindromic sequence TYMAGG-n2/n4/n11-KKTKRA (Y: C/T, M: A/C, K: T/G, R: A/G) was proved to be essential for SACE_5754 binding using DNase I footprinting and EMSAs. During the three target genes of SACE_5754, SACE_0388 and SACE_6149 exhibited the positive effect on erythromycin production. Overexpression of either SACE_0388 or SACE_6149 in ∆SACE_5754 further increased the Er-A production. By engineering the industrial strain S. erythraea WB with deletion of SACE_5754 combined with overexpression of either SACE_0388 or SACE_6149, Er-A production in WB∆SACE_5754/pIB139–0388 and WB∆SACE_5754/pIB139–6149 was successively increased by 42 and 30% compared to WB. Co-overexpression of SACE_0388 and SACE_6149 in WB∆SACE_5754 resulted in enhanced Er-A production by 64% relative to WB. In a 5-L fermenter, WB∆SACE_5754/pIB139–0388-6149 produced 4998 mg/L Er-A, a 48% increase over WB.

Conclusion

We have identified a TFR, SACE_5754, as a negative regulator of erythromycin biosynthesis, and engineering of SACE_5754 and its target genes, SACE_0388 and SACE_6149, resulted in enhanced erythromycin production in both wild-type and industrial S. erythraea strains. The strategy demonstrated here may be valuable to facilitate the manipulation of transcriptional regulators and their targets for production improvement of antibiotics in industrial actinomycetes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13036-018-0135-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Streptomyces coelicolor

Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is amongst the best studied representatives of the genus Streptomyces, which is the largest genus within the Actinobacteria. Streptomycetes have a remarkably complex developmental life cycle and the capacity to produce a plethora of natural products. Whilst referred to as S. coelicolor A3(2), this strain is more closely related to Streptomyces violaceoruber ISP5049 than to the type strain for the species, S. coelicolor Müller. However, the name was maintained as it had become the workhorse for genetics and a model for development and antibiotic production. Streptomycetes are multicellular mycelial bacteria that grow as vegetative hyphae, which are compartmentalized via cross-walls. Reproduction occurs when specialized aerial hyphae differentiate into chains of spores. Streptomycetes produce around half of the clinically used antibiotics and other pharmaceutically useful natural products such as anthelmintics, anticancer agents, and immunosuppressives.

Activation of microbial secondary metabolic pathways: Avenues and challenges

Microbial natural products are a tremendous source of new bioactive chemical entities for drug discovery. Next generation sequencing has revealed an unprecedented genomic potential for production of secondary metabolites by diverse micro-organisms found in the environment and in the microbiota. Genome mining has further led to the discovery of numerous uncharacterized 'cryptic' metabolic pathways in the classical producers of natural products such as Actinobacteria and fungi. These biosynthetic gene clusters may code for improved biologically active metabolites, but harnessing the full genetic potential has been hindered by the observation that many of the pathways are 'silent' under laboratory conditions. Here we provide an overview of the various biotechnological methodologies, which can be divided to pleiotropic, biosynthetic gene cluster specific, and targeted genome-wide approaches that have been developed for the awakening of microbial secondary metabolic pathways.