Streptomyces serine protease (DHP-A) as a new biocatalyst capable of forming chiral intermediates of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists

Streptomyces spp. in the biocatalysis toolbox

About 20,100 research publications dated 2000-2017 were recovered searching the PubMed and Web of Science databases for Streptomyces, which are the richest known source of bioactive molecules. However, these bacteria with versatile metabolism are powerful suppliers of biocatalytic tools (enzymes) for advanced biotechnological applications such as green chemical transformations and biopharmaceutical and biofuel production. The recent technological advances, especially in DNA sequencing coupled with computational tools for protein functional and structural prediction, and the improved access to microbial diversity enabled the easier access to enzymes and the ability to engineer them to suit a wider range of biotechnological processes. The major driver behind a dramatic increase in the utilization of biocatalysis is sustainable development and the shift toward bioeconomy that will, in accordance to the UN policy agenda "Bioeconomy to 2030," become a global effort in the near future. Streptomyces spp. already play a significant role among industrial microorganisms. The intention of this minireview is to highlight the presence of Streptomyces in the toolbox of biocatalysis and to give an overview of the most important advances in novel biocatalyst discovery and applications. Judging by the steady increase in a number of recent references (228 for the 2000-2017 period), it is clear that biocatalysts from Streptomyces spp. hold promises in terms of valuable properties and applicative industrial potential.

Unique actinomycetes from marine caves and coral reef sediments provide novel PKS and NRPS biosynthetic gene clusters

In the ever-expanding search for novel bioactive molecules and enzymes, marine actinomycetes have proven to be a productive source. While open reef sediment and sponge-associated actinomycetes have been extensively examined, their marine cave counterparts remain unevaluated. Anchialine cave systems in the Bahamas offered an ideal setting to evaluate the occurrence and variation within sediment-associated actinomycete communities. While in close geographical proximity to open reef environments, these systems provide a specialized environmental niche devoid of light and direct exposure to nutrient input. In the present study, selective isolation techniques and molecular methods were used to test the hypothesis that variable distribution of actinomycetes and secondary metabolite gene clusters occur between open reef and marine cave systems. The results indicated that differences exist within the culturable sediment-associated actinomycete communities between marine caves and open reef systems, with members of the genus Streptomyces dominating cultures from open reef sediments and a more diverse suite of actinomycetes isolated from marine cave sediment samples. Within the cave isolates, members of the proposed genus Solwaraspora were the most represented. Based on PKS- and NRPS-gene-targeted PCR amplification and sequencing, geographic variation in the occurrence of these biosynthetic pathways was also observed. These findings indicate that marine cave systems are a lucrative source in the search for novel secondary metabolite producers with biotechnological applications and that environmental and geographic factors likely affect the occurrence of these biosynthetic pathways.

Application of chiral technology in a pharmaceutical company. Enantiomeric separation and spectroscopic studies of key asymmetric intermediates using a combination of techniques. Phenylglycidols

Phenylglycidols substituted in the 2-, 3-, and 4- positions with fluorine, chlorine, and trifluoromethyl, and with methoxy in the 3- position, were synthesized from the corresponding E-cinnamic acids and separated into their (R,R)- and (S,S)- enantiomers using subcritical fluid chromatography with mixtures of MeOH in CO(2), on either a Chiralpak AD or AS chiral stationary phase. These compounds and commercially-available (R,R)- and (S,S)-phenylglycidol were analyzed for their vibrational circular dichroism (VCD), electronic circular dichroism (ECD), and optical rotation (OR) properties to exemplify a strategy whereby the absolute stereochemistry of common and key chiral intermediates is established early in the structure-activity and structure-property relationship phase of a drug discovery program in a pharmaceutical company. From this study, substituents in the phenyl group of the synthesized molecules were found not to grossly alter spectroscopic features, and therefore, diagnostic absorption bands in the respective VCD spectra, and the sign and shape of the measured ECD curves could be used to determine and track the absolute stereochemistry of analogs without necessarily requiring time-consuming ab initio calculations of all low energy conformers for all compounds. VCD, OR, and ECD calculations for the determination of absolute configuration carried out at the DFT level with the hybrid B3PW91 functional and the TZVP basis set were found to be especially useful in this study.

Overexpression and purification of microbial pro-transglutaminase from Streptomyces cinnamoneum and in vitro processing by Streptomyces albogriseolus proteases

Processing and activation of the precursor of an extracellular Streptomyces transglutaminase were achieved by using three Streptomyces proteases (SAM-P20, SAM-P26 and SAM-P45), all of which are widely distributed in Streptomyces. The use of these proteases would allow us to develop a production process for the active form of this enzyme in recombinant bacteria.