Cell wall hydrolases affect germination, vegetative growth, and sporulation in Streptomyces coelicolor

Microscopic and molecular genetic analyses of morphological development of the actinomycete Actinoplanes missouriensis

The survival strategy of members of the bacterial genus Actinoplanes is fascinating from morphological and evolutionary perspectives. A brief motile phase is incorporated in the filamentous and resting stages of the life cycle of Actinoplanes missouriensis. Spores either lie dormant or swim under different external conditions. This review presents microscopic observations and molecular genetic analyses of A. missouriensis morphological development. Selected examples of the characterization of developmental genes and their products are also introduced.

Identification of a putative cell wall-hydrolyzing amidase involved in sporangiospore maturation in Actinoplanes missouriensis

Actinoplanes missouriensis is a filamentous bacterium that differentiates into terminal sporangia, each containing a few hundred spores. Previously, we reported that a cell wall-hydrolyzing N-acetylglucosaminidase, GsmA, is required for the maturation process of sporangiospores in A. missouriensis; sporangia of the gsmA null mutant (ΔgsmA) strain released chains of 2-20 spores under sporangium dehiscence-inducing conditions. In this study, we identified and characterized a putative cell wall hydrolase (AsmA) that is also involved in sporangiospore maturation. AsmA was predicted to have a signal peptide for the general secretion pathway and an N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidase domain. The transcript level of asmA increased during the early stages of sporangium formation. The asmA null mutant (ΔasmA) strain showed phenotypes similar to those of the wild-type strain, but sporangia of the ΔgsmAΔasmA double mutant released longer spore chains than those from the ΔgsmA sporangia. Furthermore, a weak interaction between AsmA and GsmA was detected in a bacterial two-hybrid assay using Escherichia coli as the host. Based on these results, we propose that AsmA is an enzyme that hydrolyzes peptidoglycan at septum-forming sites to separate adjacent spores during sporangiospore maturation in cooperation with GsmA in A. missouriensis.IMPORTANCEActinoplanes missouriensis produces sporangiospores as dormant cells. The spores inside the sporangia are assumed to be formed from prespores generated by the compartmentalization of intrasporangium hyphae via septation. Previously, we identified GsmA as a cell wall hydrolase responsible for the separation of adjacent spores inside sporangia. However, we predicted that an additional cell wall hydrolase(s) is inevitably involved in the maturation process of sporangiospores because the sporangia of the gsmA null mutant strain released not only tandemly connected spore chains (2-20 spores) but also single spores. In this study, we successfully identified a putative cell wall hydrolase (AsmA) that is involved in sporangiospore maturation in A. missouriensis.

Peptidoglycan NlpC/P60 peptidases in bacterial physiology and host interactions

The bacterial cell wall is composed of a highly crosslinked matrix of glycopeptide polymers known as peptidoglycan that dictates bacterial cell morphology and protects against environmental stresses. Regulation of peptidoglycan turnover is therefore crucial for bacterial survival and growth and is mediated by key protein complexes and enzyme families. Here, we review the prevalence, structure, and activity of NlpC/P60 peptidases, a family of peptidoglycan hydrolases that are crucial for cell wall turnover and division as well as interactions with antibiotics and different hosts. Understanding the molecular functions of NlpC/P60 peptidases should provide important insight into bacterial physiology, their interactions with different kingdoms of life, and the development of new therapeutic approaches.

Osmotic stress responses and the biology of the second messenger c-di-AMP in Streptomyces

Streptomyces are prolific antibiotic producers that thrive in soil, where they encounter diverse environmental cues, including osmotic challenges caused by rainfall and drought. Despite their enormous value in the biotechnology sector, which often relies on ideal growth conditions, how Streptomyces react and adapt to osmotic stress is heavily understudied. This is likely due to their complex developmental biology and an exceptionally broad number of signal transduction systems. With this review, we provide an overview of Streptomyces' responses to osmotic stress signals and draw attention to open questions in this research area. We discuss putative osmolyte transport systems that are likely involved in ion balance control and osmoadaptation and the role of alternative sigma factors and two-component systems (TCS) in osmoregulation. Finally, we highlight the current view on the role of the second messenger c-di-AMP in cell differentiation and the osmotic stress responses with specific emphasis on the two models, S. coelicolor and S. venezuelae.

Penicillin-Binding Proteins, β-Lactamases, and β-Lactamase Inhibitors in β-Lactam-Producing Actinobacteria: Self-Resistance Mechanisms

The human society faces a serious problem due to the widespread resistance to antibiotics in clinical practice. Most antibiotic biosynthesis gene clusters in actinobacteria contain genes for intrinsic self-resistance to the produced antibiotics, and it has been proposed that the antibiotic resistance genes in pathogenic bacteria originated in antibiotic-producing microorganisms. The model actinobacteria Streptomyces clavuligerus produces the β-lactam antibiotic cephamycin C, a class A β-lactamase, and the β lactamases inhibitor clavulanic acid, all of which are encoded in a gene supercluster; in addition, it synthesizes the β-lactamase inhibitory protein BLIP. The secreted clavulanic acid has a synergistic effect with the cephamycin produced by the same strain in the fight against competing microorganisms in its natural habitat. High levels of resistance to cephamycin/cephalosporin in actinobacteria are due to the presence (in their β-lactam clusters) of genes encoding PBPs which bind penicillins but not cephalosporins. We have revised the previously reported cephamycin C and clavulanic acid gene clusters and, in addition, we have searched for novel β-lactam gene clusters in protein databases. Notably, in S. clavuligerus and Nocardia lactamdurans, the β-lactamases are retained in the cell wall and do not affect the intracellular formation of isopenicillin N/penicillin N. The activity of the β-lactamase in S. clavuligerus may be modulated by the β-lactamase inhibitory protein BLIP at the cell-wall level. Analysis of the β-lactam cluster in actinobacteria suggests that these clusters have been moved by horizontal gene transfer between different actinobacteria and have culminated in S. clavuligerus with the organization of an elaborated set of genes designed for fine tuning of antibiotic resistance and cell wall remodeling for the survival of this Streptomyces species. This article is focused specifically on the enigmatic connection between β-lactam biosynthesis and β-lactam resistance mechanisms in the producer actinobacteria.

How Streptomyces thrive: Advancing our understanding of classical development and uncovering new behaviors

Streptomyces are soil- and marine-dwelling microbes that need to survive dramatic fluctuations in nutrient levels and environmental conditions. Here, we explore the advances made in understanding how Streptomyces bacteria can thrive in their natural environments. We examine their classical developmental cycle, and the intricate regulatory cascades that govern it. We discuss alternative growth strategies and behaviors, like the rapid expansion and colonization properties associated with exploratory growth, the release of membrane vesicles and S-cells from hyphal tips, and the acquisition of exogenous DNA along the lateral walls. We further investigate Streptomyces interactions with other organisms through the release of volatile compounds that impact nutrient levels, microbial growth, and insect behavior. Finally, we explore the increasingly diverse strategies employed by Streptomyces species in escaping and thwarting phage infections.

sRNARFTarget: a fast machine-learning-based approach for transcriptome-wide sRNA target prediction

Bacterial small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in many processes related to adaptive responses. A multitude of sRNAs have been identified in many bacterial species; however, their function has yet to be elucidated. A key step to understand sRNAs function is to identify the mRNAs these sRNAs bind to. There are several computational methods for sRNA target prediction, and the most accurate one is CopraRNA which is based on comparative-genomics. However, species-specific sRNAs are quite common and CopraRNA cannot be used for these sRNAs. The most commonly used transcriptome-wide sRNA target prediction method and second-most-accurate method is IntaRNA. However, IntaRNA can take hours to run on a bacterial transcriptome. Here we present sRNARFTarget, a machine-learning-based method for transcriptome-wide sRNA target prediction applicable to any sRNA. We comparatively assessed the performance of sRNARFTarget, CopraRNA and IntaRNA in three bacterial species. Our results show that sRNARFTarget outperforms IntaRNA in terms of accuracy, ranking of true interacting pairs, and running time. However, CopraRNA substantially outperforms the other two programsin terms of accuracy. Thus, we suggest using CopraRNA when homolog sequences of the sRNA are available, and sRNARFTarget for transcriptome-wide prediction or for species-specific sRNAs. sRNARFTarget is available at https://github.com/BioinformaticsLabAtMUN/sRNARFTarget.

Cwl0971, a novel peptidoglycan hydrolase, plays pleiotropic roles in Clostridioides difficile R20291

Clostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, toxin-producing anaerobe that can cause nosocomial antibiotic-associated intestinal disease. Although the production of toxin A (TcdA) and toxin B (TcdB) contribute to the main pathogenesis of C. difficile, the mechanism of TcdA and TcdB release from cell remains unclear. In this study, we identified and characterized a new cell wall hydrolase Cwl0971 (CDR20291_0971) from C. difficile R20291, which is involved in bacterial autolysis. The gene 0971 deletion mutant (R20291Δ0971) generated with CRISPR-AsCpfI exhibited significantly delayed cell autolysis and increased cell viability compared to R20291, and the purified Cwl0971 exhibited hydrolase activity for Bacillus subtilis cell wall. Meanwhile, 0971 gene deletion impaired TcdA and TcdB release due to the decreased cell autolysis in the stationary/late phase of cell growth. Moreover, sporulation of the mutant strain decreased significantly compared to the wild type strain. In vivo, the defect of Cwl0971 decreased fitness over the parent strain in a mouse infection model. Collectively, Cwl0971 is involved in cell wall lysis and cell viability, which affects toxin release, sporulation, germination, and pathogenicity of R20291, indicating that Cwl0971 could be an attractive target for C. difficile infection therapeutics and prophylactics.

Spore Germination of the Obligate Biotroph Spongospora subterranea: Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Germination Associated Genes

For soilborne pathogens, germination of the resting or dormant propagule that enables persistence within the soil environment is a key point in pathogenesis. Spongospora subterranea is an obligate soilborne protozoan that infects the roots and tubers of potato causing root and powdery scab disease for which there are currently no effective controls. A better understanding of the molecular basis of resting spore germination of S. subterranea could be important for development of novel disease interventions. However, as an obligate biotroph and soil dwelling organism, the application of new omics techniques for the study of the pre-infection process in S. subterranea has been problematic. Here, RNA sequencing was used to analyse the reprogramming of S. subterranea resting spores during the transition to zoospores in an in-vitro model. More than 63 million mean high-quality reads per sample were generated from the resting and germinating spores. By using a combination of reference-based and de novo transcriptome assembly, 6,664 unigenes were identified. The identified unigenes were subsequently annotated based on known proteins using BLAST search. Of 5,448 annotated genes, 570 genes were identified to be differentially expressed during the germination of S. subterranea resting spores, with most of the significant genes belonging to transcription and translation, amino acids biosynthesis, transport, energy metabolic processes, fatty acid metabolism, stress response and DNA repair. The datasets generated in this study provide a basic knowledge of the physiological processes associated with spore germination and will facilitate functional predictions of novel genes in S. subterranea and other plasmodiophorids. We introduce several candidate genes related to the germination of an obligate biotrophic soilborne pathogen which could be applied to the development of antimicrobial agents for soil inoculum management.

Extensive Reannotation of the Genome of the Model Streptomycete Streptomyces lividans TK24 Based on Transcriptome and Proteome Information

Streptomyces lividans TK24 is a relevant Gram-positive soil inhabiting bacterium and one of the model organisms of the genus Streptomyces. It is known for its potential to produce secondary metabolites, antibiotics, and other industrially relevant products. S. lividans TK24 is the plasmid-free derivative of S. lividans 66 and a close genetic relative of the strain Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). In this study, we used transcriptome and proteome data to improve the annotation of the S. lividans TK24 genome. The RNA-seq data of primary 5'-ends of transcripts were used to determine transcription start sites (TSS) in the genome. We identified 5,424 TSS, of which 4,664 were assigned to annotated CDS and ncRNAs, 687 to antisense transcripts distributed between 606 CDS and their UTRs, 67 to tRNAs, and 108 to novel transcripts and CDS. Using the TSS data, the promoter regions and their motifs were analyzed in detail, revealing a conserved -10 (TAnnnT) and a weakly conserved -35 region (nTGACn). The analysis of the 5' untranslated region (UTRs) of S. lividans TK24 revealed 17% leaderless transcripts. Several cis-regulatory elements, like riboswitches or attenuator structures could be detected in the 5'-UTRs. The S. lividans TK24 transcriptome contains at least 929 operons. The genome harbors 27 secondary metabolite gene clusters of which 26 could be shown to be transcribed under at least one of the applied conditions. Comparison of the reannotated genome with that of the strain Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) revealed a high degree of similarity. This study presents an extensive reannotation of the S. lividans TK24 genome based on transcriptome and proteome analyses. The analysis of TSS data revealed insights into the promoter structure, 5'-UTRs, cis-regulatory elements, attenuator structures and novel transcripts, like small RNAs. Finally, the repertoire of secondary metabolite gene clusters was examined. These data provide a basis for future studies regarding gene characterization, transcriptional regulatory networks, and usage as a secondary metabolite producing strain.

Structural, Metabolic and Evolutionary Comparison of Bacterial Endospore and Exospore Formation

Sporulation is a specialized developmental program employed by a diverse set of bacteria which culminates in the formation of dormant cells displaying increased resilience to stressors. This represents a major survival strategy for bacteria facing harsh environmental conditions, including nutrient limitation, heat, desiccation, and exposure to antimicrobial compounds. Through dispersal to new environments via biotic or abiotic factors, sporulation provides a means for disseminating genetic material and promotes encounters with preferable environments thus promoting environmental selection. Several types of bacterial sporulation have been characterized, each involving numerous morphological changes regulated and performed by non-homologous pathways. Despite their likely independent evolutionary origins, all known modes of sporulation are typically triggered by limited nutrients and require extensive membrane and peptidoglycan remodeling. While distinct modes of sporulation have been observed in diverse species, two major types are at the forefront of understanding the role of sporulation in human health, and microbial population dynamics and survival. Here, we outline endospore and exospore formation by members of the phyla Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, respectively. Using recent advances in molecular and structural biology, we point to the regulatory, genetic, and morphological differences unique to endo- and exospore formation, discuss shared characteristics that contribute to the enhanced environmental survival of spores and, finally, cover the evolutionary aspects of sporulation that contribute to bacterial species diversification.

Roles of LysM and LytM domains in resuscitation-promoting factor (Rpf) activity and Rpf-mediated peptidoglycan cleavage and dormant spore reactivation

Bacterial dormancy can take many forms, including formation of Bacillus endospores, Streptomyces exospores, and metabolically latent Mycobacterium cells. In the actinobacteria, including the streptomycetes and mycobacteria, the rapid resuscitation from a dormant state requires the activities of a family of cell-wall lytic enzymes called resuscitation-promoting factors (Rpfs). Whether Rpf activity promotes resuscitation by generating peptidoglycan fragments (muropeptides) that function as signaling molecules for spore germination or by simply remodeling the dormant cell wall has been the subject of much debate. Here, to address this question, we used mutagenesis and peptidoglycan binding and cleavage assays to first gain broader insight into the biochemical function of diverse Rpf enzymes. We show that their LysM and LytM domains enhance Rpf enzyme activity; their LytM domain and, in some cases their LysM domain, also promoted peptidoglycan binding. We further demonstrate that the Rpfs function as endo-acting lytic transglycosylases, cleaving within the peptidoglycan backbone. We also found that unlike in other systems, Rpf activity in the streptomycetes is not correlated with peptidoglycan-responsive Ser/Thr kinases for cell signaling, and the germination of rpf mutant strains could not be stimulated by the addition of known germinants. Collectively, these results suggest that in Streptomyces, Rpfs have a structural rather than signaling function during spore germination, and that in the actinobacteria, any signaling function associated with spore resuscitation requires the activity of additional yet to be identified enzymes.

Biochemical analysis of NlpC/p60 peptidoglycan hydrolase activity

The NlpC/p60-family of peptidoglycan hydrolases are key enzymes that facilitate bacterial cell division and also modulate microbe-host interactions. These endopeptidases utilize conserved Cys-His residues in their active site and are expressed in most bacterial species as well as some eukaryotes. Here we describe methods for biochemical analysis of Enterococcus faecium SagA-NlpC/p60 peptidoglycan hydrolase activity (Kim et al., 2019; Rangan et al., 2016), which includes recombinant protein preparation and biochemical analysis using both gel-based and LC-MS profiling of peptidoglycan fragments. These protocols should also facilitate the biochemical analysis of other NlpC/p60 peptidoglycan hydrolases.

Nucleotide second messengers in Streptomyces

Antibiotic producing Streptomyces sense and respond to environmental signals by using nucleotide second messengers, including (p)ppGpp, cAMP, c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP. As summarized in this review, these molecules are important message carriers that coordinate the complex Streptomyces morphological transition from filamentous growth to sporulation along with the secondary metabolite production. Here, we provide an overview of the enzymes that make and break these second messengers and suggest candidates for (p)ppGpp and cAMP enzymes to be studied. We highlight the target molecules that bind these signalling molecules and elaborate individual functions that they control in the context of Streptomyces development. Finally, we discuss open questions in the field, which may guide future studies in this exciting research area.

Identification and Characterization of a Cell Wall Hydrolase for Sporangiospore Maturation in Actinoplanes missouriensis

The rare actinomycete Actinoplanes missouriensis grows as substrate mycelium and forms terminal sporangia containing a few hundred spores as dormant cells. Upon contact with water, the sporangia open up and release spores to external environments. Here, we report a cell wall hydrolase, GsmA, that is required for sporangiospore maturation in A. missouriensis The gsmA gene is conserved among Actinoplanes species and several species of other rare actinomycetes. Transcription of gsmA is activated in the late stage of sporangium formation by the global transcriptional activator TcrA, which is involved in sporangium formation and dehiscence. GsmA is composed of an N-terminal signal peptide for the twin arginine translocation pathway, two tandem bacterial SH3-like domains, and a glucosaminidase domain. Zymographic analysis using a recombinant C-terminal glucosaminidase domain protein showed that GsmA is a hydrolase able to digest cell walls extracted from the vegetative mycelia of A. missouriensis and Streptomyces griseus A gsmA deletion mutant (ΔgsmA) formed apparently normal sporangia, but they released chains of 2 to 20 spores under sporangium dehiscence-inducing conditions, indicating that spores did not completely mature in the mutant sporangia. From these results, we concluded that GsmA is a cell wall hydrolase for digesting peptidoglycan at septum-forming sites to separate adjacent spores during sporangiospore maturation in A. missouriensis Unexpectedly, flagella were observed around the spore chains of the ΔgsmA mutant by transmission electron microscopy. The flagellar formation was strictly restricted to cell-cell interfaces, giving an important insight into the polarity of the flagellar biogenesis in a spherical spore.IMPORTANCE In streptomycetes, an aerial hypha is compartmentalized by multiple septations into prespores, which become spores through a series of maturation processes. However, little is known about these maturation processes. The rare actinomycete Actinoplanes missouriensis produces sporangiospores, which are assumed to be formed also from prespores generated by the compartmentalization of intrasporangium hyphae via septation. The identification of GsmA as a cell wall hydrolase for the separation of adjacent spores sheds light on the almost unknown processes of sporangiospore formation in A. missouriensis Furthermore, the fact that GsmA orthologues are conserved within the genus Actinoplanes but not in streptomycetes indicates that Actinoplanes has developed an original strategy for the spore maturation in a specific environment, that is, inside a sporangium.

Silencing cryptic specialized metabolism in Streptomyces by the nucleoid-associated protein Lsr2

Lsr2 is a nucleoid-associated protein conserved throughout the actinobacteria, including the antibiotic-producing Streptomyces. Streptomyces species encode paralogous Lsr2 proteins (Lsr2 and Lsr2-like, or LsrL), and we show here that of the two, Lsr2 has greater functional significance. We found that Lsr2 binds AT-rich sequences throughout the chromosome, and broadly represses gene expression. Strikingly, specialized metabolic clusters were over-represented amongst its targets, and the cryptic nature of many of these clusters appears to stem from Lsr2-mediated repression. Manipulating Lsr2 activity in model species and uncharacterized isolates resulted in the production of new metabolites not seen in wild type strains. Our results suggest that the transcriptional silencing of biosynthetic clusters by Lsr2 may protect Streptomyces from the inappropriate expression of specialized metabolites, and provide global control over Streptomyces’ arsenal of signaling and antagonistic compounds.

Live-cell imaging of Streptomyces conjugation

Time-lapse imaging of conjugative plasmid transfer in Streptomyces revealed intriguing insights into the unique two-step conjugation process of this Gram⁺ mycelial soil bacterium. Differentially labelling of donor and recipient strains with distinct fluorescent proteins allowed the visualization of plasmid transfer in living mycelium. In nearly all observed matings, plasmid transfer occurred when donor and recipient hyphae made intimate contact at the lateral walls. Plasmid transfer does not involve a complete fusion of donor and recipient hyphae, but depends on a pore formed by the FtsK-like DNA translocase TraB. Following the initial transfer at the contact site of donor and recipient, the plasmids spread within the recipient mycelium by invading neighboring compartments, separated by cross walls. Intra-mycelial plasmid spreading depends on a septal cross wall localized multi-protein DNA translocation apparatus consisting of TraB and several Spd proteins and is abolished in a spd mutant. The ability to spread within the recipient mycelium is a crucial adaptation to the mycelial life style of Streptomyces, potentiating the efficiency of plasmid transfer.

Characterization of Sigma Factor Genes in Streptomyces lividans TK24 Using a Genomic Library-Based Approach for Multiple Gene Deletions

Alternative sigma factors control numerous aspects of bacterial life, including adaptation to physiological stresses, morphological development, persistence states and virulence. This is especially true for the physiologically complex actinobacteria. Here we report the development of a robust gene deletions system for Streptomyces lividans TK24 based on a BAC library combined with the λ-Red recombination technique. The developed system was validated by systematically deleting the most highly expressed genes encoding alternative sigma factors and several other regulatory genes within the chromosome of S. lividans TK24. To demonstrate the possibility of large scale genomic manipulations, the major part of the undecylprodigiosin gene cluster was deleted as well. The resulting mutant strains were characterized in terms of morphology, growth parameters, secondary metabolites production and response to thiol-oxidation and cell-wall stresses. Deletion of SLIV_12645 gene encoding S. coelicolor SigR1 ortholog has the most prominent phenotypic effect, resulted in overproduction of actinorhodin and coelichelin P1 and increased sensitivity to diamide. The secreted proteome analysis of SLIV_12645 mutant revealed SigR1 influence on trafficking of proteins involved in cell wall biogenesis and refactoring. The reported here gene deletion system will further facilitate work on S. lividans strain improvement as a host for either secondary metabolites or protein production and will contribute to basic research in streptomycetes physiology, morphological development, secondary metabolism. On the other hand, the systematic deletion of sigma factors encoding genes demonstrates the complexity and conservation of regulatory processes conducted by sigma factors in streptomycetes.

High-Resolution Analysis of the Peptidoglycan Composition in Streptomyces coelicolor

The bacterial cell wall maintains cell shape and protects against bursting by turgor. A major constituent of the cell wall is peptidoglycan (PG), which is continuously modified to enable cell growth and differentiation through the concerted activity of biosynthetic and hydrolytic enzymes. Streptomycetes are Gram-positive bacteria with a complex multicellular life style alternating between mycelial growth and the formation of reproductive spores. This involves cell wall remodeling at apical sites of the hyphae during cell elongation and autolytic degradation of the vegetative mycelium during the onset of development and antibiotic production. Here, we show that there are distinct differences in the cross-linking and maturation of the PGs between exponentially growing vegetative hyphae and the aerial hyphae that undergo sporulation. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis identified over 80 different muropeptides, revealing that major PG hydrolysis takes place over the course of mycelial growth. Half of the dimers lacked one of the disaccharide units in transition-phase cells, most likely due to autolytic activity. The deacetylation of MurNAc to MurN was particularly pronounced in spores and strongly reduced in sporulation mutants with a deletion of bldD or whiG, suggesting that MurN is developmentally regulated. Altogether, our work highlights the dynamic and growth phase-dependent changes in the composition of the PG in StreptomycesIMPORTANCE Streptomycetes are bacteria with a complex lifestyle and are model organisms for bacterial multicellularity. From a single spore, a large multigenomic multicellular mycelium is formed, which differentiates to form spores. Programmed cell death is an important event during the onset of morphological differentiation. In this work, we provide new insights into the changes in the peptidoglycan composition and over time, highlighting changes over the course of development and between growing mycelia and spores. This revealed dynamic changes in the peptidoglycan when the mycelia aged, with extensive peptidoglycan hydrolysis and, in particular, an increase in the proportion of 3-3 cross-links. Additionally, we identified a muropeptide that accumulates predominantly in the spores and may provide clues toward spore development.

Complete genome sequence provides insights into the biodrying-related microbial function of Bacillus thermoamylovorans isolated from sewage sludge biodrying material

To enable the development of microbial agents and identify suitable candidate used for biodrying, the existence and function of Bacillus thermoamylovorans during sewage sludge biodrying merits investigation. This study isolated a strain of B. thermoamylovorans during sludge biodrying, submitted it for complete genome sequencing and analyzed its potential microbial functions. After biodrying, the moisture content of the biodrying material decreased from 66.33% to 50.18%, and B. thermoamylovorans was the ecologically dominant Bacillus, with the primary annotations associated with amino acid transport and metabolism (9.53%) and carbohydrate transport and metabolism (8.14%). It contains 96 carbohydrate-active- enzyme-encoding gene counts, mainly distributed in glycoside hydrolases (33.3%) and glycosyl transferases (27.1%). The virulence factors are mainly associated with biosynthesis of capsule and polysaccharide capsule. This work indicates that among the biodrying microorganisms, B. thermoamylovorans has good potential for degrading recalcitrant and readily degradable components, thus being a potential microbial agent used to improve biodrying.

Secondary Metabolites Produced during the Germination of Streptomyces coelicolor

Spore awakening is a series of actions that starts with purely physical processes and continues via the launching of gene expression and metabolic activities, eventually achieving a vegetative phase of growth. In spore-forming microorganisms, the germination process is controlled by intra- and inter-species communication. However, in the Streptomyces clade, which is capable of developing a plethora of valuable compounds, the chemical signals produced during germination have not been systematically studied before. Our previously published data revealed that several secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes are expressed during germination. Therefore, we focus here on the secondary metabolite production during this developmental stage. Using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found that the sesquiterpenoid antibiotic albaflavenone, the polyketide germicidin A, and chalcone are produced during germination of the model streptomycete, S. coelicolor. Interestingly, the last two compounds revealed an inhibitory effect on the germination process. The secondary metabolites originating from the early stage of microbial growth may coordinate the development of the producer (quorum sensing) and/or play a role in competitive microflora repression (quorum quenching) in their nature environments.

A Waking Review: Old and Novel Insights into the Spore Germination in Streptomyces

The complex development undergone by Streptomyces encompasses transitions from vegetative mycelial forms to reproductive aerial hyphae that differentiate into chains of single-celled spores. Whereas their mycelial life – connected with spore formation and antibiotic production – is deeply investigated, spore germination as the counterpoint in their life cycle has received much less attention. Still, germination represents a system of transformation from metabolic zero point to a new living lap. There are several aspects of germination that may attract our attention: (1) Dormant spores are strikingly well-prepared for the future metabolic restart; they possess stable transcriptome, hydrolytic enzymes, chaperones, and other required macromolecules stabilized in a trehalose milieu; (2) Germination itself is a specific sequence of events leading to a complete morphological remodeling that include spore swelling, cell wall reconstruction, and eventually germ tube emergences; (3) Still not fully unveiled are the strategies that enable the process, including a single cell’s signal transduction and gene expression control, as well as intercellular communication and the probability of germination across the whole population. This review summarizes our current knowledge about the germination process in Streptomyces, while focusing on the aforementioned points.

Regulation of a muralytic enzyme-encoding gene by two non-coding RNAs

Non-coding regulatory RNAs fine-tune gene expression post-transcriptionally. In the streptomycetes, rpfA - encoding a muralytic enzyme required for establishing and exiting dormancy - is flanked by non-coding regulatory RNA elements both upstream (riboswitch) and downstream [antisense small RNA (sRNA)]. In Streptomyces coelicolor, the upstream riboswitch decreases rpfA transcript abundance in response to the second messenger cyclic di-AMP, itself involved in cell wall metabolism and dormancy. There is, however, no obvious expression platform associated with this riboswitch and consequently, its mechanism of action is entirely unknown. Using in vitro transcription assays, we discovered that the rpfA riboswitch promoted premature transcription termination in response to cyclic di-AMP. Through an extensive mutational analysis, we determined that attenuation required ligand binding and involved an unusual extended stem-loop region unique to a subset of rpfA riboswitches in the actinobacteria. At the other end of the rpfA gene, an antisense sRNA, termed Scr3097, is expressed opposite the predicted rpfA terminator. Using northern blotting, we found that Scr3097 accumulation mirrored that of the rpfA mRNA. In liquid culture, we detected Scr3097 exclusively in exponential-phase cells, and in plate-grown culture, we observed the sRNA primarily in differentiating cultures. Using mutational analyses, we found that the sRNA increased rpfA mRNA abundance in cells. Taken together, our work revealed multiple regulatory RNAs controlling rpfA expression in the streptomycetes.

Genome improvement of the acarbose producer Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110 and annotation refinement based on RNA-seq analysis

Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110 is the natural producer of acarbose, which is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus type II. However, until now the transcriptional organization and regulation of the acarbose biosynthesis are only understood rudimentarily. The genome sequence of Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110 was known before, but was resequenced in this study to remove assembly artifacts and incorrect base callings. The annotation of the genome was refined in a multi-step approach, including modern bioinformatic pipelines, transcriptome and proteome data. A whole transcriptome RNA-seq library as well as an RNA-seq library enriched for primary 5'-ends were used for the detection of transcription start sites, to correct tRNA predictions, to identify novel transcripts like small RNAs and to improve the annotation through the correction of falsely annotated translation start sites. The transcriptome data sets were also applied to identify 31 cis-regulatory RNA structures, such as riboswitches or RNA thermometers as well as three leaderless transcribed short peptides found in putative attenuators upstream of genes for amino acid biosynthesis. The transcriptional organization of the acarbose biosynthetic gene cluster was elucidated in detail and fourteen novel biosynthetic gene clusters were suggested. The accurate genome sequence and precise annotation of the Actinoplanes sp. SE50/110 genome will be the foundation for future genetic engineering and systems biology studies.

Phenotypic variability and community interactions of germinating Streptomyces spores

A case can be made for stochastic germination and interactions among germinating spores as beneficial germination strategies in uncertain environments. However, there is little data on how widespread, species-specific or diverse such phenomena are. Focusing on Streptomycetes, a platform was developed for quantification of germination and early growth within communities of spores. We found that the germination process is stochastic at three levels: spores vary in their germination times, mycelium networks grow at different rates, and a fraction of germlings stall their growth shortly after germination. Furthermore, by monitoring how these stochastic properties are affected by spore density and chemicals released from spores, germination interactions were quantified for four species. Stochastically germinating spores were frequently promoted or inhibited by compounds released by spores from the same or different species, and all species had distinct interaction profiles. The spatial distribution patterns were important with clusters of spores behaving differently than individual spores. Aged spores exhibited higher dormancy but could efficiently geminate in the presence of chemicals released during germination. All interactions were specific to germination and only weakly affected growth rates. This work suggests that stochastic germination is commonly affected by the community context and species have adapted diverse germination strategies.

Streptomyces exploration is triggered by fungal interactions and volatile signals

It has long been thought that the life cycle of Streptomyces bacteria encompasses three developmental stages: vegetative hyphae, aerial hyphae and spores. Here, we show interactions between Streptomyces and fungi trigger a previously unobserved mode of Streptomyces development. We term these Streptomyces cells 'explorers', for their ability to adopt a non-branching vegetative hyphal conformation and rapidly transverse solid surfaces. Fungi trigger Streptomyces exploratory growth in part by altering the composition of the growth medium, and Streptomyces explorer cells can communicate this exploratory behaviour to other physically separated streptomycetes using an airborne volatile organic compound (VOC). These results reveal that interkingdom interactions can trigger novel developmental behaviours in bacteria, here, causing Streptomyces to deviate from its classically-defined life cycle. Furthermore, this work provides evidence that VOCs can act as long-range communication signals capable of propagating microbial morphological switches.

Deletion of a putative NlpC/P60 endopeptidase BAS1812 affects germination, long-term survival and endospore formation in Bacillus anthracis

Bacillus anthracis, an aetiologic agent of the zoonotic disease anthrax, encodes a putative NlpC/P60 endopeptidase BAS1812. It harbours a signal peptide, three bacterial SH3 domains and an NlpC/P60 family domain. Previous studies showed that BAS1812 is immunogenic in infected hosts and is a potential biomarker for anthrax treatment. To date, however, little information is known about its function and involvement in anthrax pathogenesis. Here we describe the phenotypic effect of BAS1812 deletion in B. anthracis Sterne strain. Transcriptional analysis showed that BAS1812 expression in a host-like environment was enhanced at the end of log phase, started to diminish after entry to stationary phase and increased again late in stationary phase. The constructed BAS1812 mutant showed impaired long-term survival in the stationary growth phase, less resilience to detergent, lesser endospore formation and delayed germination. The mutant also showed diminished ability to degrade peptidoglycan, but its ability to produce anthrax exotoxins was not affected. We hypothesize that BAS1812 is a cell wall hydrolase involved in biological activities related to maintaining cell wall integrity, sporulation and spore germination.

Cyclic Dinucleotide-Controlled Regulatory Pathways in Streptomyces Species

The cyclic dinucleotides cyclic 3′,5′-diguanylate (c-di-GMP) and cyclic 3′,5′-diadenylate (c-di-AMP) have emerged as key components of bacterial signal transduction networks. These closely related second messengers follow the classical general principles of nucleotide signaling by integrating diverse signals into regulatory pathways that control cellular responses to changing environments. They impact distinct cellular processes, with c-di-GMP having an established role in promoting bacterial adhesion and inhibiting motility and c-di-AMP being involved in cell wall metabolism, potassium homeostasis, and DNA repair. The involvement of c-dinucleotides in the physiology of the filamentous, nonmotile streptomycetes remained obscure until recent discoveries showed that c-di-GMP controls the activity of the developmental master regulator BldD and that c-di-AMP determines the level of the resuscitation-promoting factor A(RpfA) cell wall-remodelling enzyme. Here, I summarize our current knowledge of c-dinucleotide signaling in Streptomyces species and highlight the important roles of c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP in the biology of these antibiotic-producing, multicellular bacteria.

Characterization of SCO4439, a D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase involved in spore cell wall maturation, resistance, and germination in Streptomyces coelicolor

This work contributes to the understanding of cell wall modifications during sporulation and germination in Streptomyces by assessing the biological function and biochemical properties of SCO4439, a D-alanyl-D-alanine carboxypeptidase (DD-CPase) constitutively expressed during development. SCO4439 harbors a DD-CPase domain and a putative transcriptional regulator domain, separated by a putative transmembrane region. The recombinant protein shows that DD-CPase activity is inhibited by penicillin G. The spores of the SCO4439::Tn5062 mutant are affected in their resistance to heat and acid and showed a dramatic increase in swelling during germination. The mycelium of the SCO4439::Tn5062 mutant is more sensitive to glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin and teicoplanin). The DD-CPase domain and the hydrophobic transmembrane region are highly conserved in Streptomyces, and both are essential for complementing the wild type phenotypes in the mutant. A model for the biological mechanism behind the observed phenotypes is proposed, in which SCO4439 DD-CPase releases D-Ala from peptidoglycan (PG) precursors, thereby reducing the substrate pool for PG crosslinking (transpeptidation). PG crosslinking regulates spore physical resistance and germination, and modulates mycelium resistance to glycopeptides. This study is the first demonstration of the role of a DD-CPase in the maturation of the spore cell wall.

Second messenger - Sensing riboswitches in bacteria

Signal sensing in bacteria has traditionally been attributed to protein-based factors. It is however becoming increasingly clear that bacteria also exploit RNAs to serve this role. This review discusses how key developmental processes in bacteria, such as community formation, choice of a sessile versus motile lifestyle, or vegetative growth versus dormant spore formation may be governed by signal sensing RNAs. The signaling molecules that affect these processes, the RNAs that sense these molecules and the underlying molecular basis for specific signal-response are discussed here.

Nucleotide second messenger-mediated regulation of a muralytic enzyme in Streptomyces

Peptidoglycan degradative enzymes have important roles at many stages during the bacterial life cycle, and it is critical that these enzymes be stringently regulated to avoid compromising the integrity of the cell wall. How this regulation is exerted is of considerable interest: promoter-based control and protein-protein interactions are known to be employed; however, other regulatory mechanisms are almost certainly involved. In the actinobacteria, a class of muralytic enzymes - the 'resuscitation-promoting factors' (Rpfs) - orchestrates the resuscitation of dormant cells. In this study, we have taken a holistic approach to exploring the mechanisms governing RpfA function using the model bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor and have uncovered unprecedented multilevel regulation that is coordinated by three second messengers. Our studies show that RpfA is subject to transcriptional control by the cyclic AMP receptor protein, riboswitch-mediated transcription attenuation in response to cyclic di-AMP, and growth stage-dependent proteolysis in response to ppGpp accumulation. Furthermore, our results suggest that these control mechanisms are likely applicable to cell wall lytic enzymes in other bacteria.

N-linked glycoproteome profiling of seedling leaf in Brachypodium distachyon L

Brachypodium distachyon L., a model plant for cereal crops, has become important as an alternative and potential biofuel grass. In plants, N-glycosylation is one of the most common and important protein modifications, playing important roles in signal recognition, increase in protein activity, stability of protein structure, and formation of tissues and organs. In this study, we performed the first glycoproteome analysis in the seedling leaves of B. distachyon. Using lectin affinity chromatography enrichment and mass-spectrometry-based analysis, we identified 47 glycosylation sites representing 46 N-linked glycoproteins. Motif-X analysis showed that two conserved motifs, N-X-T/S (X is any amino acid, except Pro), were significantly enriched. Further functional analysis suggested that some of these identified glycoproteins are involved in signal transduction, protein trafficking, and quality control and the modification and remodeling of cell-wall components such as receptor-like kinases, protein disulfide isomerase, and polygalacturonase. Moreover, transmembrane helices and signal peptide prediction showed that most of these glycoproteins could participate in typical protein secretory pathways in eukaryotes. The results provide a general overview of protein N-glycosylation modifications during the early growth of seedling leaves in B. distachyon and supplement the glycoproteome databases of plants.

Synthesis of the spore envelope in the developmental life cycle of Streptomyces coelicolor

Members of the family of Streptomycetaceae, the main producer of antibiotics and other secondary metabolites, are Gram-positive multi-cellular soil bacteria with a complex life cycle. By apical tip extension Streptomyces coelicolor forms a multiply branching vegetative mycelium penetrating the substrate. Upon nutrient limitation, a hydrophobic aerial mycelium is erected, which eventually develops into a regular chain of spores that are able to survive detrimental environmental conditions. Morphological differentiation involves a switch in the peptidoglycan synthesizing machinery. Whereas apical tip extension is directed by the so-called polarisome, sporulation septation and synthesis of the thickened spore wall involves a multi-protein complex, which resembles the elongasome of rod-shaped bacteria. The Streptomyces spore wall synthesizing complex (SSSC) does not only direct synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer but is also involved in the incorporation of anionic spore wall glycopolymers, which contribute to the resistance of spores. The SSSC also contains eukaryotic type serine/threonine kinases which might control its activity by protein-phosphorylation.

Changes in activity of metabolic and regulatory pathways during germination of S. coelicolor

BACKGROUND

Bacterial spore germination is a developmental process during which all required metabolic pathways are restored to transfer cells from their dormant state into vegetative growth. Streptomyces are soil dwelling filamentous bacteria with complex life cycle, studied mostly for they ability to synthesize secondary metabolites including antibiotics.

RESULTS

Here, we present a systematic approach that analyzes gene expression data obtained from 13 time points taken over 5.5 h of Streptomyces germination. Genes whose expression was significantly enhanced/diminished during the time-course were identified, and classified to metabolic and regulatory pathways. The classification into metabolic pathways revealed timing of the activation of specific pathways during the course of germination. The analysis also identified remarkable changes in the expression of specific sigma factors over the course of germination. Based on our knowledge of the targets of these factors, we speculate on their possible roles during germination. Among the factors whose expression was enhanced during the initial part of germination, SigE is though to manage cell wall reconstruction, SigR controls protein re-aggregation, and others (SigH, SigB, SigI, SigJ) control osmotic and oxidative stress responses.

CONCLUSIONS

From the results, we conclude that most of the metabolic pathway mRNAs required for the initial phases of germination were synthesized during the sporulation process and stably conserved in the spore. After rehydration in growth medium, the stored mRNAs are being degraded and resynthesized during first hour. From the analysis of sigma factors we conclude that conditions favoring germination evoke stress-like cell responses.

Resuscitation-promoting factors are cell wall-lytic enzymes with important roles in the germination and growth of Streptomyces coelicolor

Dormancy is a common strategy adopted by bacterial cells as a means of surviving adverse environmental conditions. For Streptomyces bacteria, this involves developing chains of dormant exospores that extend away from the colony surface. Both spore formation and subsequent spore germination are tightly controlled processes, and while significant progress has been made in understanding the underlying regulatory and enzymatic bases for these, there are still significant gaps in our understanding. One class of proteins with a potential role in spore-associated processes are the so-called resuscitation-promoting factors, or Rpfs, which in other actinobacteria are needed to restore active growth to dormant cell populations. The model species Streptomyces coelicolor encodes five Rpf proteins (RpfA to RfpE), and here we show that these proteins have overlapping functions during growth. Collectively, the S. coelicolor Rpfs promote spore germination and are critical for growth under nutrient-limiting conditions. Previous studies have revealed structural similarities between the Rpf domain and lysozyme, and our in vitro biochemical assays revealed various levels of peptidoglycan cleavage capabilities for each of these five Streptomyces enzymes. Peptidoglycan remodeling by enzymes such as these must be stringently governed so as to retain the structural integrity of the cell wall. Our results suggest that one of the Rpfs, RpfB, is subject to a unique mode of enzymatic autoregulation, mediated by a domain of previously unknown function (DUF348) located within the N terminus of the protein; removal of this domain led to significantly enhanced peptidoglycan cleavage.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of a toxin-producing dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella and its non-toxic mutant

The dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria are two major kingdoms of life producing paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), a large group of neurotoxic alkaloids causing paralytic shellfish poisonings around the world. In contrast to the well elucidated PST biosynthetic genes in cyanobacteria, little is known about the dinoflagellates. This study compared transcriptome profiles of a toxin-producing dinoflagellate, Alexandrium catenella (ACHK-T), and its non-toxic mutant form (ACHK-NT) using RNA-seq. All clean reads were assembled de novo into a total of 113,674 unigenes, and 66,812 unigenes were annotated in the known databases. Out of them, 35 genes were found to express differentially between the two strains. The up-regulated genes in ACHK-NT were involved in photosynthesis, carbon fixation and amino acid metabolism processes, indicating that more carbon and energy were utilized for cell growth. Among the down-regulated genes, expression of a unigene assigned to the long isoform of sxtA, the initiator of toxin biosynthesis in cyanobacteria, was significantly depressed, suggesting that this long transcript of sxtA might be directly involved in toxin biosynthesis and its depression resulted in the loss of the ability to synthesize PSTs in ACHK-NT. In addition, 101 putative homologs of 12 cyanobacterial sxt genes were identified, and the sxtO and sxtZ genes were identified in dinoflagellates for the first time. The findings of this study should shed light on the biosynthesis of PSTs in the dinoflagellates.

Morphogenesis of Streptomyces in submerged cultures

Members of the genus Streptomyces are mycelial bacteria that undergo a complex multicellular life cycle and propagate via sporulation. Streptomycetes are important industrial microorganisms, as they produce a plethora of medically relevant natural products, including the majority of clinically important antibiotics, as well as a wide range of enzymes with industrial application. While development of Streptomyces in surface-grown cultures is well studied, relatively little is known of the parameters that determine morphogenesis in submerged cultures. Here, growth is characterized by the formation of mycelial networks and pellets. From the perspective of industrial fermentations, such mycelial growth is unattractive, as it is associated with slow growth, heterogeneous cultures, and high viscosity. Here, we review the current insights into the genetic and environmental factors that determine mycelial growth and morphology in liquid-grown cultures. The genetic factors include cell-matrix proteins and extracellular polymers, morphoproteins with specific roles in liquid-culture morphogenesis, with the SsgA-like proteins as well-studied examples, and programmed cell death. Environmental factors refer in particular to those dictated by process engineering, such as growth media and reactor set-up. These insights are then integrated to provide perspectives as to how this knowledge can be applied to improve streptomycetes for industrial applications.

Development, antibiotic production, and ribosome assembly in Streptomyces venezuelae are impacted by RNase J and RNase III deletion

RNA metabolism is a critical but frequently overlooked control element affecting virtually every cellular process in bacteria. RNA processing and degradation is mediated by a suite of ribonucleases having distinct cleavage and substrate specificity. Here, we probe the role of two ribonucleases (RNase III and RNase J) in the emerging model system Streptomyces venezuelae. We show that each enzyme makes a unique contribution to the growth and development of S. venezuelae and further affects the secondary metabolism and antibiotic production of this bacterium. We demonstrate a connection between the action of these ribonucleases and translation, with both enzymes being required for the formation of functional ribosomes. RNase III mutants in particular fail to properly process 23S rRNA, form fewer 70S ribosomes, and show reduced translational processivity. The loss of either RNase III or RNase J additionally led to the appearance of a new ribosomal species (the 100S ribosome dimer) during exponential growth and dramatically sensitized these mutants to a range of antibiotics.

Developmental biology of Streptomyces from the perspective of 100 actinobacterial genome sequences

To illuminate the evolution and mechanisms of actinobacterial complexity, we evaluate the distribution and origins of known Streptomyces developmental genes and the developmental significance of actinobacteria-specific genes. As an aid, we developed the Actinoblast database of reciprocal blastp best hits between the Streptomyces coelicolor genome and more than 100 other actinobacterial genomes (http://streptomyces.org.uk/actinoblast/). We suggest that the emergence of morphological complexity was underpinned by special features of early actinobacteria, such as polar growth and the coupled participation of regulatory Wbl proteins and the redox-protecting thiol mycothiol in transducing a transient nitric oxide signal generated during physiologically stressful growth transitions. It seems that some cell growth and division proteins of early actinobacteria have acquired greater importance for sporulation of complex actinobacteria than for mycelial growth, in which septa are infrequent and not associated with complete cell separation. The acquisition of extracellular proteins with structural roles, a highly regulated extracellular protease cascade, and additional regulatory genes allowed early actinobacterial stationary phase processes to be redeployed in the emergence of aerial hyphae from mycelial mats and in the formation of spore chains. These extracellular proteins may have contributed to speciation. Simpler members of morphologically diverse clades have lost some developmental genes.

Comparative genomics for mycobacterial peptidoglycan remodelling enzymes reveals extensive genetic multiplicity

Background

Mycobacteria comprise diverse species including non-pathogenic, environmental organisms, animal disease agents and human pathogens, notably Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Considering that the mycobacterial cell wall constitutes a significant barrier to drug penetration, the aim of this study was to conduct a comparative genomics analysis of the repertoire of enzymes involved in peptidoglycan (PG) remodelling to determine the potential of exploiting this area of bacterial metabolism for the discovery of new drug targets.

Results

We conducted an in silico analysis of 19 mycobacterial species/clinical strains for the presence of genes encoding resuscitation promoting factors (Rpfs), penicillin binding proteins, endopeptidases, L,D-transpeptidases and N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases. Our analysis reveals extensive genetic multiplicity, allowing for classification of mycobacterial species into three main categories, primarily based on their rpf gene complement. These include the M. tuberculosis Complex (MTBC), other pathogenic mycobacteria and environmental species. The complement of these genes within the MTBC and other mycobacterial pathogens is highly conserved. In contrast, environmental strains display significant genetic expansion in most of these gene families. Mycobacterium leprae retains more than one functional gene from each enzyme family, underscoring the importance of genetic multiplicity for PG remodelling. Notably, the highest degree of conservation is observed for N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases suggesting that these enzymes are essential for growth and survival.

Conclusion

PG remodelling enzymes in a range of mycobacterial species are associated with extensive genetic multiplicity, suggesting functional diversification within these families of enzymes to allow organisms to adapt.

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.

A sporulation-specific, sigF-dependent protein, SspA, affects septum positioning in Streptomyces coelicolor

The RNA polymerase sigma factor SigF controls late development during sporulation in the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor. The only known SigF-dependent gene identified so far, SCO5321, is found in the biosynthetic cluster encoding spore pigment synthesis. Here we identify the first direct target for SigF, the gene sspA, encoding a sporulation-specific protein. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that SspA is a secreted lipoprotein with two PepSY signature domains. The sspA deletion mutant exhibits irregular sporulation septation and altered spore shape, suggesting that SspA plays a role in septum formation and spore maturation. The fluorescent translational fusion protein SspA–mCherry localized first to septum sites, then subsequently around the surface of the spores. Both SspA protein and sspA transcription are absent from the sigF null mutant. Moreover, in vitro transcription assay confirmed that RNA polymerase holoenzyme containing SigF is sufficient for initiation of transcription from a single sspA promoter. In addition, in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that sspA is a direct target of BldD, which functions to repress sporulation genes, including whiG, ftsZ and ssgB, during vegetative growth, co-ordinating their expression during sporulation septation.

Global features of gene expression on the proteome and transcriptome levels in S. coelicolor during germination

Streptomycetes have been studied mostly as producers of secondary metabolites, while the transition from dormant spores to an exponentially growing culture has largely been ignored. Here, we focus on a comparative analysis of fluorescently and radioactively labeled proteome and microarray acquired transcriptome expressed during the germination of Streptomyces coelicolor. The time-dynamics is considered, starting from dormant spores through 5.5 hours of growth with 13 time points. Time series of the gene expressions were analyzed using correlation, principal components analysis and an analysis of coding genes utilization. Principal component analysis was used to identify principal kinetic trends in gene expression and the corresponding genes driving S. coelicolor germination. In contrast with the correlation analysis, global trends in the gene/protein expression reflected by the first principal components showed that the prominent patterns in both the protein and the mRNA domains are surprisingly well correlated. Analysis of the number of expressed genes identified functional groups activated during different time intervals of the germination.

Functional analysis of the gene SCO1782 encoding Streptomyces hemolysin (S-hemolysin) in Streptomyces coelicolor M145

In the process of evaluating the growth of Streptomyces coelicolor on rich media such as blood agar, we found that S. coelicolor a non-pathogenic, well-known antibiotic producer had the ability to grow and produce a prominent hemolytic zone. By comparing the growth with an agarase gene mutant of S. coelicolor, a similar prominent hemolytic zone was found to develop due to the organism's hemolytic activity. After the confirmation of hemolytic activity from S. coelicolor, the genome was searched for hemolysin-coding genes; consequently, SCO1782, SCO2534, and SCO3882 were identified, whose products were annotated as a putative, membrane, and hypothetical proteins, respectively. Functional characterization of all the recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) revealed that only SCO1782 exhibited hemolytic activity. This S. coelicolor protein, designated as S-hemolysin, showed sequence similarity toward hemolysins from Brachyspira hyodysenteriae (35%) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (62%). Recombinant hemolysin exhibited activity against sheep blood erythrocytes and cytolytic activity against human fibroblast cells. Deletion of SCO1782 resulted in complete loss of hemolysin activity in S. coelicolor.

Pre-sporulation stages of Streptomyces differentiation: state-of-the-art and future perspectives

Streptomycetes comprise very important industrial bacteria, producing two-thirds of all clinically relevant secondary metabolites. They are mycelial microorganisms with complex developmental cycles that include programmed cell death (PCD) and sporulation. Industrial fermentations are usually performed in liquid cultures (large bioreactors), conditions in which Streptomyces strains generally do not sporulate, and it was traditionally assumed that there was no differentiation. In this work, we review the current knowledge on Streptomyces pre-sporulation stages of Streptomyces differentiation.

A putative transglycosylase encoded by SCO4132 influences morphological differentiation and actinorhodin production in Streptomyces coelicolor

Here we report that tgdA, a novel gene encoding a putative transglycosylase, affects both the morphological differentiation and the yield of blue-pigmented compound actinorhodin in Streptomyces coelicolor. The tgdA null mutant displays sparse aerial hyphae and irregular spore chains frequently lacking chromosomal DNA. Elevated actinorhodin production coincides with the overexpression of actII-orf4 in mutant. tgdA expression is temporally and developmentally regulated. The tgdA orthologs in Streptomyces avermilitis and Streptomyces lividans also affect differentiation.

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.

Cytochrome P450 107U1 is required for sporulation and antibiotic production in Streptomyces coelicolor

The filamentous bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor has a complex life cycle involving the formation of hair-like aerial mycelia on the colony surface, which differentiate into chains of spores. Genes required for the initiation of aerial mycelium formation have been termed 'bld' (bald), describing the smooth, undifferentiated colonies of mutant strains. We report the identification of a new bld gene designated as sco3099 and biochemical analysis of its encoded enzyme, cytochrome P450 (P450, or CYP) 107U1. Deletion of sco3099 resulted in a mutant defective in aerial hyphae sporulation and sensitive to heat shock, indicating that P450 107U1 plays a key role in growth and development of S. coelicolor. This is the first P450 reported to participate in a sporulation process in Streptomycetes. The substrate and catalytic properties of P450 107U1 were further investigated in mass spectrometry-based metabolomic studies. Glycocholic acid (from the medium) was identified as a substrate of P450 107U1 and was oxidized to glyco-7-oxo-deoxycholic acid. Although this reaction is apparently not relevant to the observed sporulation deficiency, it suggests that P450 107U1 might exert its physiological function by oxidizing other steroid-like molecules.