Actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin production in wild-type and relA mutant strains of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) grown in continuous culture

The stringent response is strongly activated in the antibiotic producing strain, Streptomyces coelicolor

S. lividans and S. coelicolor are phylogenetically closely related strains with different abilities to produce the same specialized metabolites. Previous studies revealed that the strong antibiotic producer, S. coelicolor, had a lower ability to assimilate nitrogen and phosphate than the weak producer, Streptomyces lividans, and this resulted into a lower growth rate. A comparative proteomic dataset was used to establish the consequences of these nutritional stresses on the abundance of proteins of the translational apparatus of these strains, grown in low and high phosphate availability. Our study revealed that most proteins of the translational apparatus were less abundant in S. coelicolor than in S. lividans whereas it was the opposite for ET-Tu 3 and a TrmA-like methyltransferase. The expression of the latter being known to be under the positive control of the stringent response whereas that of the other ribosomal proteins is under its negative control, this indicated the occurrence of a strong activation of the stringent response in S. coelicolor. Furthermore, in S. lividans, ribosomal proteins were more abundant in phosphate proficiency than in phosphate limitation suggesting that a limitation in phosphate, that was also shown to trigger RelA expression, contributes to the induction of the stringent response.

Insights into Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) growth and pigment formation with high-throughput online monitoring

Streptomyces species are intensively studied for their ability to produce a variety of natural products. However, conditions influencing and leading to product formation are often not completely recognized. Therefore, in this study, high-throughput online monitoring is presented as a powerful tool to gain in-depth understanding of the cultivation of the model organism Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Through online measurements of oxygen transfer rate and autofluorescence, valuable information about availability of nutrients and product formation patterns of the pigments actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin can be obtained and explained. Therefore, it is possible to determine the onset of pigmentation and to study in detail the influencing factors thereof. One factor identified in this study is the filling volume of the cultivation vessel. Slight variations led to varying pigmentation levels. By combining optical and metabolic online monitoring techniques, the correlation of the filling volume with pigmentation could be explained as a result of different growth trajectories caused by varying specific power inputs and their influence on the pellet formation of the filamentous system. Finally, experiments with the addition of supernatant from unpigmented and pigmented cultures could highlight the applicability of the presented approach to study quorum sensing and cell-cell interaction.

Tunable population dynamics in a synthetic filamentous coculture

Microbial cocultures are used as a tool to stimulate natural product biosynthesis. However, studies often empirically combine different organisms without a deeper understanding of the population dynamics. As filamentous organisms offer a vast metabolic diversity, we developed a model filamentous coculture of the cellulolytic fungus Trichoderma reesei RUT-C30 and the noncellulolytic bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). The coculture was set up to use α-cellulose as a carbon source. This established a dependency of S. coelicolor on hydrolysate sugars released by T. reesei cellulases. To provide detailed insight into coculture dynamics, we applied high-throughput online monitoring of the respiration rate and fluorescence of the tagged strains. The respiration rate allowed us to distinguish the conditions of successful cellulase formation. Furthermore, to dissect the individual strain contributions, T. reesei and S. coelicolor were tagged with mCherry and mNeonGreen (mNG) fluorescence proteins, respectively. When evaluating varying inoculation ratios, it was observed that both partners outcompete the other when given a high inoculation advantage. Nonetheless, adequate proportions for simultaneous growth of both partners, cellulase, and pigment production could be determined. Finally, population dynamics were also tuned by modulating abiotic factors. Increased osmolality provided a growth advantage to S. coelicolor. In contrast, an increase in shaking frequency had a negative effect on S. coelicolor biomass formation, promoting T. reesei. This comprehensive analysis fills important knowledge gaps in the control of complex cocultures and accelerates the setup of other tailor-made coculture bioprocesses.

Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of Streptomyces strains producing multiple antinematode drugs

Background

Nematodes are parasitic animals that cause over 100 billion US dollars loss in agricultural business. The whole-genomes of two Streptomyces strains, Streptomyces spectabilis KCTC9218^T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, were sequenced. Both strains produce spectinabilin, an antinematode drug. Its secondary metabolism was examined to aid the development of an efficient nematicidal drug-producing host strain.

Results

The whole-genome sequences of S. spectabilis KCTC9218^T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965 were analyzed using PacBio and Illumina sequencing platforms, and assembled using hybrid methodology. The total contig lengths for KCTC9218^T and AN091965 were 9.97 Mb and 9.84 Mb, respectively. A total of 8,374 and 8,054 protein-coding genes, as well as 39 and 45 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were identified in KCTC9218^T and AN091965, respectively. 18.4 ± 6.45 mg/L and 213.89 ± 21.30 mg/L of spectinabilin were produced by S. spectabilis KCTC9218^T and Streptomyces sp. AN091965, respectively. Pine wilt disease caused by nematode was successfully prevented by lower concentration of spectinabilin injection than that of abamectin recommended by its manufacturer. Production of multiple antinematode drugs, including spectinabilin, streptorubin B, and undecylprodigiosin was observed in both strains using high-resolution liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC–MS) analysis.

Conclusions

Whole-genome sequencing of spectinabilin-producing strains, coupled with bioinformatics and mass spectrometry analyses, revealed the production of multiple nematicidal drugs in the KCTC9218^T and AN091965 strains. Especially, Streptomyces sp. AN091965 showed high production level of spectinabilin, and this study provides crucial information for the development of potential nematicidal drug producers.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08847-4.

A new bacterial tRNA enhances antibiotic production in Streptomyces by circumventing inefficient wobble base-pairing

We report the discovery and functional characterization of a new bacterial tRNA species. The tRNA-Asp-AUC, from a fast-growing desert streptomycete, decodes GAU codons. In the absence of queuosine tRNA anticodon modification in streptomycetes, the new tRNA circumvents inefficient wobble base-pairing during translation. The tRNA, which is constitutively expressed, greatly enhances synthesis of 4 different antibiotics in the model mesophilic species Streptomyces coelicolor, including the product of a so-called cryptic pathway, and increases yields of medically-important antibiotics in other species. This can be rationalised due to increased expression of both pleiotropic and pathway-specific transcriptional activators of antibiotic biosynthesis whose genes generally possess one or more GAT codons; the frequency of this codon in these gene sets is significantly higher than the average for streptomycete genes. In addition, the tRNA enhances production of cobalamin, a precursor of S-adenosyl methionine, itself an essential cofactor for synthesis of many antibiotics. The results establish a new paradigm of inefficient wobble base-pairing involving GAU codons as an evolved strategy to regulate gene expression and, in particular, antibiotic biosynthesis. Circumventing this by expression of the new cognate tRNA offers a generic strategy to increase antibiotic yields and to expand the repertoire of much-needed new bioactive metabolites produced by these valuable bacteria.

Complete Genome Analysis of Undecylprodigiosin Pigment Biosynthesizing Marine Streptomyces Species Displaying Potential Bioactive Applications

Marine Streptomyces species are underexplored for their pigment molecules and genes. In this study, we report the genome of the undecylprodigiosin biosynthesizing gene cluster carrying Streptomyces sp. strain BSE6.1, displaying antioxidant, antimicrobial, and staining properties. This Gram-positive obligate aerobic bacterium was isolated from the coastal sediment of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Pink to reddish pigmented colonies with whitish powdery spores on both agar and broth media are the important morphological characteristics of this bacterium. Growth tolerance to NaCl concentrations was 2 to 7%. The assembled genome of Streptomyces sp. BSE6.1 contains one linear chromosome 8.02 Mb in length with 7157 protein-coding genes, 82 tRNAs, 3 rRNAs and at least 11 gene clusters related to the synthesis of various secondary metabolites, including undecylprodigiosin. This strain carries type I, type II, and type III polyketide synthases (PKS) genes. Type I PKS gene cluster is involved in the biosynthesis of red pigment undecylprodigiosin of BSE6.1, similar to the one found in the S. coelicolor A3(2). This red pigment was reported to have various applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The genome of Streptomyces sp. BSE6.1 was submitted to NCBI with a BioProject ID of PRJNA514840 (Sequence Read Archive ID: SRR10849367 and Genome accession ID: CP085300).

6S-Like scr3559 RNA Affects Development and Antibiotic Production in Streptomyces coelicolor

Regulatory RNAs control a number of physiological processes in bacterial cells. Here we report on a 6S-like RNA transcript (scr3559) that affects both development and antibiotic production in Streptomyces coelicolor. Its expression is enhanced during the transition to stationary phase. Strains that over-expressed the scr3559 gene region exhibited a shortened exponential growth phase in comparison with a control strain; accelerated aerial mycelium formation and spore maturation; alongside an elevated production of actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin. These observations were supported by LC-MS analyses of other produced metabolites, including: germicidins, desferrioxamines, and coelimycin. A subsequent microarray differential analysis revealed increased expression of genes associated with the described morphological and physiological changes. Structural and functional similarities between the scr3559 transcript and 6S RNA, and its possible employment in regulating secondary metabolite production are discussed.

High-level production of microbial prodigiosin: A review

Prodigiosin is a natural red pigment derived primarily from secondary metabolites of microorganisms, especially Serratia marcescens. It can also be chemically synthesized. Prodigiosin has been proven to have antitumor, antibacterial, antimalaria, anti-insect, antialgae, and immunosuppressive activities, and is gaining increasing important in the global market because of its great potential application value in clinical medicine development, environmental treatment, preparation of food additives, and so on. Due to the low efficiency of prodigiosin chemical synthesis, high-level prodigiosin of production by microorganisms are necessary for prodigiosin applications. In this paper, the production of prodigiosin by microorganism in recent decades is reviewed. The methods and strategies for increasing the yield of prodigiosin are discussed from the aspects of medium composition, additives, factors affecting production conditions, strain modification, and fermentation methods.

The σ54 system directly regulates bacterial natural product genes

Bacterial-derived polyketide and non-ribosomal peptide natural products are crucial sources of therapeutics and yet little is known about the conditions that favor activation of natural product genes or the regulatory machinery controlling their transcription. Recent findings suggest that the σ⁵⁴ system, which includes σ⁵⁴-loaded RNA polymerase and transcriptional activators called enhancer binding proteins (EBPs), might be a common regulator of natural product genes. Here, we explored this idea by analyzing a selected group of putative σ⁵⁴ promoters identified in Myxococcus xanthus natural product gene clusters. We show that mutations in putative σ⁵⁴-RNA polymerase binding regions and in putative Nla28 EBP binding sites dramatically reduce in vivo promoter activities in growing and developing cells. We also show in vivo promoter activities are reduced in a nla28 mutant, that Nla28 binds to wild-type fragments of these promoters in vitro, and that in vitro binding is lost when the Nla28 binding sites are mutated. Together, our results indicate that M. xanthus uses σ⁵⁴ promoters for transcription of at least some of its natural product genes. Interestingly, the vast majority of experimentally confirmed and putative σ⁵⁴ promoters in M. xanthus natural product loci are located within genes and not in intergenic sequences.

(p)ppGpp Metabolism and Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens

Single cell microorganisms including pathogens relentlessly face myriads of physicochemical stresses in their living environment. In order to survive and multiply under such unfavorable conditions, microbes have evolved with complex genetic networks, which allow them to sense and respond against these stresses. Stringent response is one such adaptive mechanism where bacteria can survive under nutrient starvation and other related stresses. The effector molecules for the stringent response are guanosine-5'-triphosphate 3'-diphosphate (pppGpp) and guanosine-3', 5'-bis(diphosphate) (ppGpp), together called (p)ppGpp. These effector molecules are now emerging as master regulators for several physiological processes of bacteria including virulence, persistence, and antimicrobial resistance. (p)ppGpp may work independently or along with its cofactor DksA to modulate the activities of its prime target RNA polymerase and other metabolic enzymes, which are involved in different biosynthetic pathways. Enzymes involved in (p)ppGpp metabolisms are ubiquitously present in bacteria and categorized them into three classes, i.e., canonical (p)ppGpp synthetase (RelA), (p)ppGpp hydrolase/synthetase (SpoT/Rel/RSH), and small alarmone synthetases (SAS). While RelA gets activated in response to amino acid starvation, enzymes belonging to SpoT/Rel/RSH and SAS family can synthesize (p)ppGpp in response to glucose starvation and several other stress conditions. In this review, we will discuss about the current status of the following aspects: (i) diversity of (p)ppGpp biosynthetic enzymes among different bacterial species including enteropathogens, (ii) signals that modulate the activity of (p)ppGpp synthetase and hydrolase, (iii) effect of (p)ppGpp in the production of antibiotics, and (iv) role of (p)ppGpp in the emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Emphasis has been given to the cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae due to its sophisticated and complex (p)ppGpp metabolic pathways, rapid mutational rate, and acquisition of antimicrobial resistance determinants through horizontal gene transfer. Finally, we discuss the prospect of (p)ppGpp metabolic enzymes as potential targets for developing antibiotic adjuvants and tackling persistence of infections.

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

Covering: 2000 to 2018 The antimicrobial activity of many of their natural products has brought prominence to the Streptomycetaceae, a family of Gram-positive bacteria that inhabit both soil and aquatic sediments. In the natural environment, antimicrobial compounds are likely to limit the growth of competitors, thereby offering a selective advantage to the producer, in particular when nutrients become limited and the developmental programme leading to spores commences. The study of the control of this secondary metabolism continues to offer insights into its integration with a complex lifecycle that takes multiple cues from the environment and primary metabolism. Such information can then be harnessed to devise laboratory screening conditions to discover compounds with new or improved clinical value. Here we provide an update of the review we published in NPR in 2011. Besides providing the essential background, we focus on recent developments in our understanding of the underlying regulatory networks, ecological triggers of natural product biosynthesis, contributions from comparative genomics and approaches to awaken the biosynthesis of otherwise silent or cryptic natural products. In addition, we highlight recent discoveries on the control of antibiotic production in other Actinobacteria, which have gained considerable attention since the start of the genomics revolution. New technologies that have the potential to produce a step change in our understanding of the regulation of secondary metabolism are also described.

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.

Metabolic Engineering Strategies Based on Secondary Messengers (p)ppGpp and C-di-GMP To Increase Erythromycin Yield in Saccharopolyspora erythraea

Secondary messengers (such as (p)ppGpp and c-di-GMP) were proved to play important roles in antibiotic biosynthesis in actinobacteria. In this study, we found that transcription levels of erythromycin-biosynthetic ( ery) genes were upregulated in nutrient limitation, which depended on (p)ppGpp in Saccharopolyspora erythraea. Further study demonstrated that the expression of ery genes and intracellular concentrations of (p)ppGpp showed synchronization during culture process. The erythromycin yield was significantly improved (about 200%) by increasing intracellular concentration of (p)ppGpp through introduction of C-terminally truncated (p)ppGpp synthetase RelA (1.43 kb of the N-terminal segment) from Streptomyces coelicolor into S. erythraea strain NRRL2338 (named as WT/pIB-P _BAD- relA^1-489). As the intracellular concentration of (p)ppGpp in an industrial erythromycin-high-producing strain E3 was greatly higher (about 10- to 100-fold) than WT strain, the applications of the above-described strategy did not work in E3 strain. Further research revealed that low concentration of 2-oxoglutarate in E3 strain exerted a "nitrogen-rich" pseudosignal, leading to the downregulation of nitrogen metabolism genes, which limited the use of nitrogen sources and thus the high intracellular (p)ppGpp concentration. Furthermore, the secondary messenger, c-di-GMP, was proved to be able to activate ery genes transcription by enhancing binding of BldD to promoters of ery genes. Overexpressing the diguanylate cyclase CdgB from S. coelicolor in S. erythraea increased the intracellular c-di-GMP concentration, and improved erythromycin production. These findings demonstrated that increasing the concentration of intracellular secondary messengers can activate ery genes transcription, and provided new strategies for designing metabolic engineering based on secondary messengers to improve antibiotics yield in actinobacteria.

Genome-Wide Analysis Reveals the Secondary Metabolome in Streptomyces kanasensis ZX01

Streptomyces kanasensis ZX01 produces some antibiotics and a glycoprotein with antiviral activity. To further evaluate its biosynthetic potential, here we sequenced the 7,026,279 bp draft genome of S. kanasensis ZX01 and analyzed all identifiable secondary gene clusters for controlling natural products. More than 60 putative clusters were found in S. kanasensis ZX01, the majority of these biosynthetic loci are novel. In addition, the regulators for secondary metabolism in S. kanasensis ZX01 were abundant. The global regulator nsdA not only controls biosynthesis of some antibiotics, but also enhances production of glycoprotein GP-1 with antiviral activity. This study importantly reveals the powerful interplay between genomic analysis and studies of traditional natural product purification/production increasing.

Large-Scale Transposition Mutagenesis of Streptomyces coelicolor Identifies Hundreds of Genes Influencing Antibiotic Biosynthesis

Gram-positive Streptomyces bacteria produce thousands of bioactive secondary metabolites, including antibiotics. To systematically investigate genes affecting secondary metabolism, we developed a hyperactive transposase-based Tn5 transposition system and employed it to mutagenize the model species Streptomyces coelicolor, leading to the identification of 51,443 transposition insertions. These insertions were distributed randomly along the chromosome except for some preferred regions associated with relatively low GC content in the chromosomal core. The base composition of the insertion site and its flanking sequences compiled from the 51,443 insertions implied a 19-bp expanded target site surrounding the insertion site, with a slight nucleic acid base preference in some positions, suggesting a relative randomness of Tn5 transposition targeting in the high-GC Streptomyces genome. From the mutagenesis library, 724 mutants involving 365 genes had altered levels of production of the tripyrrole antibiotic undecylprodigiosin (RED), including 17 genes in the RED biosynthetic gene cluster. Genetic complementation revealed that most of the insertions (more than two-thirds) were responsible for the changed antibiotic production. Genes associated with branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, DNA metabolism, and protein modification affected RED production, and genes involved in signaling, stress, and transcriptional regulation were overrepresented. Some insertions caused dramatic changes in RED production, identifying future targets for strain improvement.IMPORTANCE High-GC Gram-positive streptomycetes and related actinomycetes have provided more than 100 clinical drugs used as antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and antitumor drugs. Their genomes harbor biosynthetic genes for many more unknown compounds with potential as future drugs. Here we developed a useful genome-wide mutagenesis tool based on the transposon Tn5 for the study of secondary metabolism and its regulation. Using Streptomyces coelicolor as a model strain, we found that chromosomal insertion was relatively random, except at some hot spots, though there was evidence of a slightly preferred 19-bp target site. We then used prodiginine production as a model to systematically survey genes affecting antibiotic biosynthesis, providing a global view of antibiotic regulation. The analysis revealed 348 genes that modulate antibiotic production, among which more than half act to reduce production. These might be valuable targets in future investigations of regulatory mechanisms, for strain improvement, and for the activation of silent biosynthetic gene clusters.

Streptomyces coelicolor XdhR is a direct target of (p)ppGpp that controls expression of genes encoding xanthine dehydrogenase to promote purine salvage

The gene encoding Streptomyces coelicolor xanthine dehydrogenase regulator (XdhR) is divergently oriented from xdhABC, which encodes xanthine dehydrogenase (Xdh). Xdh is required for purine salvage pathways. XdhR was previously shown to repress xdhABC expression. We show that XdhR binds the xdhABC-xdhR intergenic region with high affinity (Kd ∼ 0.5 nM). DNaseI footprinting reveals that this complex formation corresponds to XdhR binding the xdhR gene promoter at two adjacent sites; at higher protein concentrations, protection expands to a region that overlaps the transcriptional and translational start sites of xdhABC. While substrates for Xdh have little effect on DNA binding, GTP and ppGpp dissociate the DNA-XdhR complex. Progression of cells to stationary phase, a condition associated with increased (p)ppGpp production, leads to elevated xdhB expression; in contrast, inhibition of Xdh by allopurinol results in xdhB repression. We propose that XdhR is a direct target of (p)ppGpp, and that expression of xdhABC is upregulated during the stringent response to promote purine salvage pathways, maintain GTP homeostasis and ensure continued (p)ppGpp synthesis. During exponential phase growth, basal levels of xdhABC expression may be achieved by GTP serving as a lower-affinity XdhR ligand.

Breathing air to save energy--new insights into the ecophysiological role of high-affinity [NiFe]-hydrogenase in Streptomyces avermitilis

The Streptomyces avermitilis genome encodes a putative high‐affinity [NiFe]‐hydrogenase conferring the ability to oxidize tropospheric H₂ in mature spores. Here, we used a combination of transcriptomic and mutagenesis approaches to shed light on the potential ecophysiological role of the enzyme. First, S. avermitilis was either exposed to low or hydrogenase‐saturating levels of H₂ to investigate the impact of H₂ on spore transcriptome. In total, 1293 genes were differentially expressed, with 1127 and 166 showing lower and higher expression under elevated H₂ concentration, respectively. High H₂ exposure lowered the expression of the Sec protein secretion pathway and ATP‐binding cassette‐transporters, with increased expression of genes encoding proteins directing carbon metabolism toward sugar anabolism and lower expression of NADH dehydrogenase in the respiratory chain. Overall, the expression of relA responsible for the synthesis of the pleiotropic alarmone ppGpp decreased upon elevated H₂ exposure, which likely explained the reduced expression of antibiotic synthesis and stress response genes. Finally, deletion of hhySL genes resulted in a loss of H₂ uptake activity and a dramatic loss of viability in spores. We propose that H₂ is restricted to support the seed bank of Streptomyces under a unique survival–mixotrophic energy mode and discuss important ecological implications of this finding.

Advances and Practices of Bioprocess Scale-up

: This chapter addresses the update progress in bioprocess engineering. In addition to an overview of the theory of multi-scale analysis for fermentation process, examples of scale-up practice combining microbial physiological parameters with bioreactor fluid dynamics are also described. Furthermore, the methodology for process optimization and bioreactor scale-up by integrating fluid dynamics with biokinetics is highlighted. In addition to a short review of the heterogeneous environment in large-scale bioreactor and its effect, a scale-down strategy for investigating this issue is addressed. Mathematical models and simulation methodology for integrating flow field in the reactor and microbial kinetics response are described. Finally, a comprehensive discussion on the advantages and challenges of the model-driven scale-up method is given at the end of this chapter.

Complex intra-operonic dynamics mediated by a small RNA in Streptomyces coelicolor

Streptomyces are predominantly soil-dwelling bacteria that are best known for their multicellular life cycle and their prodigious metabolic capabilities. They are also renowned for their regulatory capacity and flexibility, with each species encoding >60 sigma factors, a multitude of transcription factors, and an increasing number of small regulatory RNAs. Here, we describe our characterization of a conserved small RNA (sRNA), scr4677. In the model species Streptomyces coelicolor, this sRNA is located in the intergenic region separating SCO4677 (an anti-sigma factor-encoding gene) and SCO4676 (a putative regulatory protein-encoding gene), close to the SCO4676 translation start site in an antisense orientation. There appears to be considerable genetic interplay between these different gene products, with wild type expression of scr4677 requiring function of the anti-sigma factor SCO4677, and scr4677 in turn influencing the abundance of SCO4676-associated transcripts. The scr4677-mediated effects were independent of RNase III (a double stranded RNA-specific nuclease), with RNase III having an unexpectedly positive influence on the level of SCO4676-associated transcripts. We have shown that both SCO4676 and SCO4677 affect the production of the blue-pigmented antibiotic actinorhodin under specific growth conditions, and that this activity appears to be independent of scr4677.

Enhanced production of undecylprodigiosin in Streptomyces coelicolor by co-cultivation with the corallopyronin A-producing myxobacterium, Corallococcus coralloides

Prolific producers of natural products like streptomycetes and myxobacteria live in complex natural frameworks consisting of many microorganisms. Presumably intricate physiological and metabolic regulatory networks have evolved to enable the organisms to respond to intra- and interspecies interactions, e.g. biosynthesis of specific natural products is up-regulated due to competitors in the surrounding area. The soil-dwelling bacterium, Streptomyces coelicolor, produces the biologically-active compound, undecylprodigiosin (Red). Co-incubation with the corallopyronin A-producer, Corallococcus coralloides, was performed to explore the hypothesis that Red production can be enhanced by a myxobacterial competitor. Co-cultivation resulted in earlier onset and increased production of Red (60-fold increase of the intra-cellular concentration). Using different Corallococcus-derived extracts for elicitation, revealed that water-soluble factors triggered the enhanced production of Red which shows antimicrobial, immunosuppressive and anticancer properties.

Synthetic RNA Silencing of Actinorhodin Biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

We demonstrate the first application of synthetic RNA gene silencers in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Peptide nucleic acid and expressed antisense RNA silencers successfully inhibited actinorhodin production. Synthetic RNA silencing was target-specific and is a new tool for gene regulation and metabolic engineering studies in Streptomyces.

Molecular regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis in streptomyces

Streptomycetes are the most abundant source of antibiotics. Typically, each species produces several antibiotics, with the profile being species specific. Streptomyces coelicolor, the model species, produces at least five different antibiotics. We review the regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis in S. coelicolor and other, nonmodel streptomycetes in the light of recent studies. The biosynthesis of each antibiotic is specified by a large gene cluster, usually including regulatory genes (cluster-situated regulators [CSRs]). These are the main point of connection with a plethora of generally conserved regulatory systems that monitor the organism's physiology, developmental state, population density, and environment to determine the onset and level of production of each antibiotic. Some CSRs may also be sensitive to the levels of different kinds of ligands, including products of the pathway itself, products of other antibiotic pathways in the same organism, and specialized regulatory small molecules such as gamma-butyrolactones. These interactions can result in self-reinforcing feed-forward circuitry and complex cross talk between pathways. The physiological signals and regulatory mechanisms may be of practical importance for the activation of the many cryptic secondary metabolic gene cluster pathways revealed by recent sequencing of numerous Streptomyces genomes.

A novel nucleoid-associated protein specific to the actinobacteria

Effective chromosome organization is central to the functioning of any cell. In bacteria, this organization is achieved through the concerted activity of multiple nucleoid-associated proteins. These proteins are not, however, universally conserved, and different groups of bacteria have distinct subsets that contribute to chromosome architecture. Here, we describe the characterization of a novel actinobacterial-specific protein in Streptomyces coelicolor. We show that sIHF (SCO1480) associates with the nucleoid and makes important contributions to chromosome condensation and chromosome segregation during Streptomyces sporulation. It also affects antibiotic production, suggesting an additional role in gene regulation. In vitro, sIHF binds DNA in a length-dependent but sequence-independent manner, without any obvious structural preferences. It does, however, impact the activity of topoisomerase, significantly altering DNA topology. The sIHF–DNA co-crystal structure reveals sIHF to be composed of two domains: a long N-terminal helix and a C-terminal helix-two turns-helix domain with two separate DNA interaction sites, suggesting a potential role in bridging DNA molecules.

Crp is a global regulator of antibiotic production in streptomyces

Cyclic AMP receptor protein (Crp) is a transcription regulator controlling diverse cellular processes in many bacteria. In Streptomyces coelicolor, it is well established that Crp plays a critical role in spore germination and colony development. Here, we demonstrate that Crp is a key regulator of secondary metabolism and antibiotic production in S. coelicolor and show that it may additionally coordinate precursor flux from primary to secondary metabolism. We found that crp deletion adversely affected the synthesis of three well-characterized antibiotics in S. coelicolor: actinorhodin (Act), undecylprodigiosin (Red), and calcium-dependent antibiotic (CDA). Using chromatin immunoprecipitation-microarray (ChIP-chip) assays, we determined that eight (out of 22) secondary metabolic clusters encoded by S. coelicolor contained Crp-associated sites. We followed the effect of Crp induction using transcription profiling analyses and found secondary metabolic genes to be significantly affected: included in this Crp-dependent group were genes from six of the clusters identified in the ChIP-chip experiments. Overexpressing Crp in a panel of Streptomyces species led to enhanced antibiotic synthesis and new metabolite production, suggesting that Crp control over secondary metabolism is broadly conserved in the streptomycetes and that Crp overexpression could serve as a powerful tool for unlocking the chemical potential of these organisms.

Streptomyces produces a remarkably diverse array of secondary metabolites, including many antibiotics. In recent years, genome sequencing has revealed that these products represent only a small proportion of the total secondary metabolite potential of Streptomyces. There is, therefore, considerable interest in discovering ways to stimulate the production of new metabolites. Here, we show that Crp (the classical regulator of carbon catabolite repression in Escherichia coli) is a master regulator of secondary metabolism in Streptomyces. It binds to eight of 22 secondary metabolic gene clusters in the Streptomyces coelicolor genome and directly affects the expression of six of these. Deletion of crp in S. coelicolor leads to dramatic reductions in antibiotic levels, while Crp overexpression enhances antibiotic production. We find that the antibiotic-stimulatory capacity of Crp extends to other streptomycetes, where its overexpression activates the production of “cryptic” metabolites that are not otherwise seen in the corresponding wild-type strain.

Possible involvement of the sco2127 gene product in glucose repression of actinorhodin production in Streptomyces coelicolor

Streptomyces coelicolor mutants resistant to 2-deoxyglucose are insensitive to carbon catabolite repression (CCR). Total reversion to CCR sensitivity is observed by mutant complementation with a DNA region harboring both glucose kinase glkA gene and the sco2127 gene. The sco2127 is located upstream of glkA and encodes a putative protein of 20.1 kDa. In S. coelicolor, actinorhodin production is subject to glucose repression. To explore the possible involvement of both SCO2127 and glucose kinase (Glk) in the glucose sensitivity of actinorhodin production, this effect was evaluated in a wild-type S. coelicolor A3(2) M145 strain and a sco2127 null mutant (Δsco2127) derived from this wild-type strain. In comparison with strain M145, actinorhodin production by the mutant was insensitive to glucose repression. Under repressive conditions, only minor differences were observed in glucose utilization and Glk production between these strains. SCO2127 was detected mainly during the first 36 h of fermentation, just before the onset of antibiotic production, and its synthesis was not related to a particular carbon source. The glucose sensitivity of antibiotic production was restored to wild-type phenotype by transformation with an integrative plasmid containing sco2127. Our results support the hypothesis that SCO2127 is a negative regulator of actinorhodin production and suggest that the effect is independent of Glk.

Streptomyces sp. JS520 produces exceptionally high quantities of undecylprodigiosin with antibacterial, antioxidative, and UV-protective properties

A Gram-positive, red-pigment-producing bacterial strain, designated JS520 was isolated from the pristine sediment from the cave on mountain Miroc in Serbia. Strain was confirmed to belong to Streptomyces genus based on phenotypic and genetic analysis. Streptomyces sp. JS520 has the ability to produce exceptionally high amounts of deep red pigment into both solid and liquid media. Liquid chromatography and mass spectroscopy of the purified pigments revealed the major component to be undecylprodigiosin (93 %) with minor component being oxidatively cyclized derivative. The pigment production was affected by medium composition, temperature, pH, and the aeration rate. By medium optimization, yields of undecylprodigiosin of 138 mg l(-1) were achieved, what is the highest level of undecylprodigiosin production reported for the members of Gram-positive Streptomyces genus. Purified pigment had antimicrobial properties against bacterial Bacillus and Micrococcus species (50 μg ml(-1)) and against Candida albicans species (100-200 μg ml(-1) range). The ability to affect auto-oxidation of the linoleic acid was demonstrated for the purified undecylprodigiosin, suggesting antioxidative properties of this pigment. Multiple ecophysiological roles of the pigment were revealed by comparing cultures grown under pigment-producing and pigment-nonproducing conditions. Cells grown under undecylprodigiosin-producing conditions could tolerate presence of hydrogen peroxide exhibiting three times smaller zones of inhibition at 100 mM H(2)O(2). Undecylprodigiosin-producing cells were also less susceptible to tetracycline, kanamycin, chloramphenicol, and 8-hydroxyquinoline. While the growth of the cells not producing pigment was completely inhibited by 15 min of exposure to ultraviolet light (254 nm), cells producing undecylprodigiosin and cells supplied with purified pigment in vitro showed survival rates at 22 and 8 %, respectively.

Development of natural anti-tumor drugs by microorganisms

Discoveries of tumor-resistant pharmacological drugs have mainly resulted from screening of natural products and their analogs. Some are also discovered incidentally when studying organisms. The great biodiversity of microorganisms raises the possibility of producing secondary metabolites (e.g., mevastatin, lovastatin, epothilone, salinosporamide A) to cope with adverse environments. Recently, natural plant pigments with anti-tumor activities such as β-carotene, lycopene, curcumin and anthocyanins have been proposed. However, many plants have a long life cycle. Therefore, pigments from microorganisms represent another option for the development of novel anti-tumor drugs. Prodigiosin (PG) is a natural red pigment produced by microorganisms, i.e., Serratia marcescens and other gram-negative bacteria. The anti-tumor potential of PG has been widely demonstrated. The families of PG (PGs), which share a common pyrrolylpyrromethene (PPM) skeleton, are produced by various bacteria. PGs are bioactive pigments and are known to exert immunosuppressive properties, in vitro apoptotic effects, and in vivo anti-tumor activities. Currently the most common strain used for producing PGs is S. marcescens. However, few reports have discussed PGs production. This review therefore describes the development of an anti-tumor drug, PG, that can be naturally produced by microorganisms, and evaluates the microbial production system, fermentation strategies, purification and identification processes. The application potential of PGs is also discussed.

Elicitation of Streptomyces coelicolor with dead cells of Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus in a bioreactor increases production of undecylprodigiosin

Since microorganisms normally co-exist with other species in nature, they have developed complex metabolic and physiological responses as a result of such interspecies interactions. We utilized some of these interactions by introducing heat-killed cells of Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus to Streptomyces coelicolor cultures and, as a result, stimulated undecylprodigiosin production. Undecylprodigiosin is not only an antibiotic; it has also been attributed with antitumor activities, but, in a defined medium, pure cultures of S. coelicolor produced only low concentrations. Elicitation with B. subtilis increased the maximum undecylprodigiosin concentration by threefold and S. aureus by fivefold compared with the pure culture of S. coelicolor. Growth and glucose consumption of elicited S. coelicolor, however, remained similar to those observed in the pure culture. Furthermore, another positive outcome of the elicitation with both B. subtilis and S. aureus was the earlier onset of undecylprodigiosin production by 24 h compared with the pure culture of S. coelicolor. This is the first time that such a phenomenon has been seen in 2 L bioreactors. Our work supports the use of biotic elicitation in order to enhance the production of secondary metabolites for industrial-scale applications.

Regulation of a novel gene cluster involved in secondary metabolite production in Streptomyces coelicolor

Antibiotic biosynthesis in the streptomycetes is a complex and highly regulated process. Here, we provide evidence for the contribution of a novel genetic locus to antibiotic production in Streptomyces coelicolor. The overexpression of a gene cluster comprising four protein-encoding genes (abeABCD) and an antisense RNA-encoding gene (α-abeA) stimulated the production of the blue-pigmented metabolite actinorhodin on solid medium. Actinorhodin production also was enhanced by the overexpression of an adjacent gene (abeR) encoding a predicted Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory protein (SARP), while the deletion of this gene impaired actinorhodin production. We found the abe genes to be differentially regulated and controlled at multiple levels. Upstream of abeA was a promoter that directed the transcription of abeABCD at a low but constitutive level. The expression of abeBCD was, however, significantly upregulated at a time that coincided with the initiation of aerial development and the onset of secondary metabolism; this expression was activated by the binding of AbeR to four heptameric repeats upstream of a promoter within abeA. Expressed divergently to the abeBCD promoter was α-abeA, whose expression mirrored that of abeBCD but did not require activation by AbeR. Instead, α-abeA transcript levels were subject to negative control by the double-strand-specific RNase, RNase III.

Production of microbial secondary metabolites: regulation by the carbon source

Microbial secondary metabolites are low molecular mass products, not essential for growth of the producing cultures, but very important for human health. They include antibiotics, antitumor agents, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and others. They have unusual structures and are usually formed during the late growth phase of the producing microorganisms. Its synthesis can be influenced greatly by manipulating the type and concentration of the nutrients formulating the culture media. Among these nutrients, the effect of the carbon sources has been the subject of continuous studies for both, industry and research groups. Different mechanisms have been described in bacteria and fungi to explain the negative carbon catabolite effects on secondary metabolite production. Their knowledge and manipulation have been useful either for setting fermentation conditions or for strain improvement. During the last years, important advances have been reported on these mechanisms at the biochemical and molecular levels. The aim of the present review is to describe these advances, giving special emphasis to those reported for the genus Streptomyces.

The antifungal activity of the terrestrial Streptomyces US80 strain is induced by heat-killed fungi

Study of the influence of different concentrations of glucose, as carbon source, and magnesium, as chemical additive, on production by the Streptomyces sp. US80 strain of the three antifungal molecules (irumamycin, X-14952 B and 17-hydroxy-venturicidin A) showed that the highest antifungal activity was obtained at 5 g/L and 3.5 mM for glucose and magnesium, respectively. Environmental factors for maximum antifungal activity production are: temperature of growth 30 degrees C, pH 7, incubation time 72 h and agitation rate of 200 rpm. To further enhance the production of the three antifungal compounds, which possess a real potential application in the agriculture domain, and to explore the possibility of obtaining other active molecules from the Streptomyces sp. US80, we investigated the effect of the addition of heat-killed fungi to the culture media. Biochemical, microbiological and spectroscopic studies of the cultures of the Streptomyces sp. US80 strain in absence (control) and in presence of heat-killed fungus cells indicate an increase of 70% in the production of the three antifungal molecules, compared to the control culture.

Implication of stringent response in the increase of mutability of the whiG and whiH genes during Streptomyces coelicolor development

In Streptomyces ambofaciens, genetic instability occurring during aerial mycelium development gives rise to white mutant papillae on colonies. Pig-pap mutants deriving from such papillae are unable to sporulate and devoid of the large genome rearrangement usually observed in the other Streptomyces mutants that genetic instability generated. Pig-pap mutants frequently harboured discrete mutations affecting the whiG gene. Furthermore, it has been established that the production of papillae dramatically increased when S. ambofaciens was grown under an amino acid limitation. In this work, we tested the implication of the stringent response, induced during an amino acid limitation, in the production of white papillae in Streptomyces coelicolor, a species which is phylogenetically close to S. ambofaciens. First, we showed that S. coelicolor produced mutant papillae and that this production was increased under an amino acid limitation. Secondly, we showed that the Pig-pap mutants generated both with and without amino acid limitation frequently exhibited mutations in whiH or whiG genes. Finally, we observed that a relA mutant of S. coelicolor, which was unable to elicit the stringent response under an amino acid limitation, was also unable to produce papillae. The restoration of the ability to elicit the stringent response also restored the papillae production. These papillae gave rise to Pig-pap mutants displaying the same characteristics as Pig-pap mutants spontaneously appearing on wild-type colonies. Altogether, these results show that whatever the underlying mechanism, the stringent response is involved in the production of white papillae in S. coelicolor.

Regulation of ppk expression and in vivo function of Ppk in Streptomyces lividans TK24

The ppk gene of Streptomyces lividans encodes an enzyme catalyzing, in vitro, the reversible polymerization of the gamma phosphate of ATP into polyphosphate and was previously shown to play a negative role in the control of antibiotic biosynthesis (H. Chouayekh and M. J. Virolle, Mol. Microbiol. 43:919-930, 2002). In the present work, some regulatory features of the expression of ppk were established and the polyphosphate content of S. lividans TK24 and the ppk mutant was determined. In Pi sufficiency, the expression of ppk was shown to be low but detectable. DNA gel shift experiments suggested that ppk expression might be controlled by a repressor using ATP as a corepressor. Under these conditions, short acid-soluble polyphosphates accumulated upon entry into the stationary phase in the wild-type strain but not in the ppk mutant strain. The expression of ppk under Pi-limiting conditions was shown to be much higher than that under Pi-sufficient conditions and was under positive control of the two-component system PhoR/PhoP. Under these conditions, the polyphosphate content of the cell was low and polyphosphates were reproducibly found to be longer and more abundant in the ppk mutant strain than in the wild-type strain, suggesting that Ppk might act as a nucleoside diphosphate kinase. In light of our results, a novel view of the role of this enzyme in the regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis in S. lividans TK24 is proposed.

Studies on a new marine streptomycete BT-408 producing polyketide antibiotic SBR-22 effective against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus

A new actinomycete strain designated as BT-408 producing polyketide antibiotic SBR-22 and showing antibacterial activity against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus has been characterized and found to be a novel strain of Streptomyces psammoticus. Nutritional and cultural conditions for the production of antibiotic by this organism under shake-flask conditions have been optimized. Glucose and ammonium nitrate were found to be best carbon and nitrogen sources respectively for growth and antibiotic production. Similarly initial medium pH of 7.2, incubation temperature of 30 degrees C and incubation time of 96 h were found to be optimal. Optimization of medium and cultural conditions resulted in 1.82-fold increase in antibiotic yield.

Production of Branched-Chain Alkylprodiginines in S. coelicolor by Replacement of the 3-Ketoacyl ACP Synthase III Initiation Enzyme, RedP

The enzyme RedP is thought to initiate the biosynthesis of the undecylpyrolle component of the antibiotic undecylprodiginine produced by Streptomyces coelicolor. RedP has homology to FabH, which initiates fatty acid biosynthesis by condensing the appropriate acyl-CoA starter unit with malonyl ACP. We have generated a redP-deletion mutant of S. coelicolor M511 (SJM1) and shown that it produces reduced levels of prodiginines and two new analogs, methylundecylprodiginine and methyldodecylprodiginine. Incorporation studies with perdeuterated valine were consistent with these being generated using methylbutyryl-CoA and isobutyryl-CoA as starter units, respectively. Plasmid-based expression of a streptomycete fabH in the SJM1 mutant led to restoration of overall prodiginine titers but the same overall ratio of undecylprodiginines and novel prodiginines. Thus, the redP FabH can be replaced by FabH enzymes with different substrate specificities and provides a method for generating novel prodiginines.

Cephamycin C production is regulated by relA and rsh genes in Streptomyces clavuligerus ATCC27064

The effects of growth rate and nutrient uptake rate on the production of cephamycin C were determined in the parental strain, deltarelA mutant, and deltarsh null mutant of S. clavuligerus. Production of cephamycin C was inversely related to mycelium growth and the phosphate feed rate was more critical for the production of cephamycin C. On the contrary, the production of cephamycin C was completely abolished in the deltarelA mutant, but not in deltarsh mutant. The changes in the cephamycin C production by disruption of the relA and rsh genes are presumably associated with the consequent ability of the mutants to accumulate (p)ppGpp under nutrient starvation. Therefore, it is concluded that the stringent response of S. clavuligerus to starvation for nutrients is governed mainly by RelA rather than Rsh and that the response is more apparently regulated by the limitation of phosphate.

The two-component PhoR-PhoP system controls both primary metabolism and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Streptomyces lividans

The biosynthesis of most secondary metabolites in different bacteria is strongly depressed by inorganic phosphate. The two-component phoR-phoP system of Streptomyces lividans has been cloned and characterized. PhoR showed all of the characteristics of the membrane-bound sensor proteins, whereas PhoP is a member of the DNA-binding OmpR family. Deletion mutants lacking phoP or phoR-phoP, were unable to grow in minimal medium at low phosphate concentration (10 microM). Growth was fully restored by complementation with the phoR-phoP genes. Both S. lividans DeltaphoP and DeltaphoR-phoP deletion mutants were unable to synthesize extracellular alkaline phosphatase (AP) as shown by immunodetection with anti-AP antibodies and by enzymatic analysis, suggesting that the PhoR-PhoP system is required for expression of the AP gene (phoA). Synthesis of AP was restored by complementation of the deletion mutants with phoR-phoP. The biosynthesis of two secondary metabolites, actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin, was significantly increased in both solid and liquid medium in the DeltaphoP or DeltaphoR-phoP deletion mutants. Negative phosphate control of both secondary metabolites was restored by complementation with the phoR-phoP cluster. These results prove that expression of both phoA and genes implicated in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in S. lividans is regulated by a mechanism involving the two-component PhoR-PhoP system.

Revisiting the stringent response, ppGpp and starvation signaling

Microbial adaptation to environmental stress plays an important role in survival. It is necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying the survival of microbes under stress, as they may eventually aid in the successful control of the growth and persistence of these organisms. During nutrient starvation, Escherichia coli elicits a stringent response to conserve energy. The hallmark of the stringent response is the accumulation of guanosine tetra- (ppGpp) and pentaphosphates (pppGpp), which probably bind RNA polymerase to regulate gene expression at certain promoters. Recently, there has been renewed interest in the stringent responses of other microbes, with a view to correlating it with sporulation, virulence and long-term persistence.

Primary metabolism and its control in streptomycetes: a most unusual group of bacteria

Streptomycetes are Gram-positive bacteria with a unique capacity for the production of a multitude of varied and complex secondary metabolites. They also have a complex life cycle including differentiation into at least three distinct cell types. Whilst much attention has been paid to the pathways and regulation of secondary metabolism, less has been paid to the pathways and the regulation of primary metabolism, which supplies the precursors. With the imminent completion of the total genome sequence of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), we need to understand the pathways of primary metabolism if we are to understand the role of newly discovered genes. This review is written as a contribution to supplying these wants. Streptomycetes inhabit soil, which, because of the high numbers of microbial competitors, is an oligotrophic environment. Soil nutrient levels reflect the fact that plant-derived material is the main nutrient input; i.e. it is carbon-rich and nitrogen- and phosphate-poor. Control of streptomycete primary metabolism reflects the nutrient availability. The variety and multiplicity of carbohydrate catabolic pathways reflects the variety and multiplicity of carbohydrates in the soil. This multiplicity of pathways has led to investment by streptomycetes in pathway-specific and global regulatory networks such as glucose repression. The mechanism of glucose repression is clearly different from that in other bacteria. Streptomycetes feed by secreting complexes of extracellular enzymes that break down plant cell walls to release nutrients. The induction of these enzyme complexes is often coordinated by inducers that bear no structural relation to the substrate or product of any particular enzyme in the complex; e.g. a product of xylan breakdown may induce cellulase production. Control of amino acid catabolism reflects the relative absence of nitrogen catabolites in soil. The cognate amino acid induces about half of the catabolic pathways and half are constitutive. There are reduced instances of global carbon and nitrogen catabolite control of amino acid catabolism, which again presumably reflects the relative rarity of the catabolites. There are few examples of feedback repression of amino acid biosynthesis. Again this is taken as a reflection of the oligotrophic nature of the streptomycete ecological niche. As amino acids are not present in the environment, streptomycetes have rarely invested in feedback repression. Exceptions to this generalization are the arginine and branched-chain amino acid pathways and some parts of the aromatic amino acid pathways which have regulatory systems similar to Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis and other copiotrophic bacteria.