Regulation of the synthesis of the angucyclinone antibiotic alpomycin in Streptomyces ambofaciens by the autoregulator receptor AlpZ and its specific ligand

SrrB, a Pseudo-Receptor Protein, Acts as a Negative Regulator for Lankacidin and Lankamycin Production in Streptomyces rochei

Streptomyces rochei 7434AN4, a producer of lankacidin (LC) and lankamycin (LM), carries many regulatory genes including a biosynthesis gene for signaling molecules SRBs (srrX), an SRB receptor gene (srrA), and a SARP (Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory protein) family activator gene (srrY). Our previous study revealed that the main regulatory cascade goes from srrX through srrA to srrY, leading to LC production, whereas srrY further regulates a second SARP gene srrZ to synthesize LM. In this study we extensively investigated the function of srrB, a pseudo-receptor gene, by analyzing antibiotic production and transcription. Metabolite analysis showed that the srrB mutation increased both LC and LM production over four-folds. Transcription, gel shift, and DNase I footprinting experiments revealed that srrB and srrY are expressed under the SRB/SrrA regulatory system, and at the later stage, SrrB represses srrY expression by binding to the promoter region of srrY. These findings confirmed that SrrB acts as a negative regulator of the activator gene srrY to control LC and LM production at the later stage of fermentation in S. rochei.

The functional differentiation of the post-PKS tailoring oxygenases contributed to the chemical diversities of atypical angucyclines

Angucyclines are one of the largest families of aromatic polyketides with various chemical structures and bioactivities. Decades of studies have made it easy for us to depict the picture of their early biosynthetic pathways. Two families of oxygenases, the FAD-dependent oxygenases and the ring opening oxygenases, contribute to the formation of some unique skeletons of atypical angucyclines. The FAD-dependent oxygenases involved in the biosynthetic gene clusters of typical angucyclines catalyze two hydroxylation reactions at C-12 and C-12b of prejadomycin, while their homolog JadH in jadomycin gene cluster catalyze the C-12 hydroxylation and 4a,12b-dehydration reactions of prejadomycin, which leads to the production of dehydrorabelomycin, a common intermediate during the biosynthesis of atypical angucyclines. Ring opening oxygenases of a unique family of oxygenases catalyze the oxidative C—C bond cleavage reaction of dehydrorabelomycin, followed by different rearrangement reactions, resulting in the formation of the various chemical skeletons of atypical angucyclines. These results suggested that the functional differentiation of these oxygenases could apparently enrich the sources of aromatic polyketides with greater structure diversities.

An aminoacylase activity from Streptomyces ambofaciens catalyzes the acylation of lysine on α-position and peptides on N-terminal position

The presence of aminoacylase activities was investigated in a crude extract of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877. First activities catalyzing the hydrolysis of N-α or ε-acetyl-L-lysine were identified. Furthermore, the acylation of lysine and different peptides was studied and compared with results obtained with lipase B of Candida antarctica (CALB). Different regioselectivities were demonstrated for the two classes of enzymes. CALB was able to catalyze acylation only on the ε-position whereas the crude extract from S. ambofaciens possessed the rare ability to catalyze the N-acylation on the α-position of the lysine or of the amino-acid in N-terminal position of peptides. Two genes, SAM23877_1485 and SAM23877_1734, were identified in the genome of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 whose products show similarities with the previously identified aminoacylases from Streptomyces mobaraensis. The proteins encoded by these two genes were responsible for the major aminoacylase hydrolytic activities. Furthermore, we show that the hydrolysis of N-α-acetyl-L-lysine could be attributed to the product of SAM23877_1734 gene.

Manipulation of metabolic pathways controlled by signaling molecules, inducers of antibiotic production, for genome mining in Streptomyces spp

Streptomyces is well characterized by an ability to produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites including antibiotics, whose expression is strictly controlled by small diffusible signaling molecules at nano-molar concentrations. The signaling molecules identified to date are classified into three skeletons; γ-butyrolactones, furans, and γ-butenolides. Accumulated data suggest the structural diversity of the signaling molecules in Streptomyces species and their potential in activating cryptic secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways. Several genome mining approaches to activate silent biosynthetic gene clusters have been reported for natural product discovery. This review updates recent examples on genetic manipulation including blockage of metabolic pathways together with inactivation of transcriptional repressor genes.

AvaR2, a pseudo γ-butyrolactone receptor homologue from Streptomyces avermitilis, is a pleiotropic repressor of avermectin and avenolide biosynthesis and cell growth

Avermectins produced by Streptomyces avermitilis are effective anthelmintic agents. The autoregulatory signalling molecule that triggers avermectin biosynthesis is a novel butenolide-type molecule, avenolide, rather than common γ-butyrolactones (GBLs). We identified AvaR2, a pseudo GBL receptor homologue, as an important repressor of avermectin and avenolide biosynthesis and cell growth. AvaR2 directly repressed transcription of aveR (the ave cluster-situated activator gene), aco (a key gene for avenolide biosynthesis), its own gene (avaR2) and two other GBL receptor homologous genes (avaR1 and avaR3) by binding to their promoter regions. The aveR promoter had the highest affinity for AvaR2. A consensus 18 bp ARE (autoregulatory element)-like sequence was found in the AvaR2-binding regions of these five target genes. Eleven novel AvaR2 targets were identified, including genes involved in primary metabolism, ribosomal protein synthesis, and stress responses. AvaR2 bound and responded to endogenous avenolide and exogenous antibiotics jadomycin B (JadB) and aminoglycosides to modulate its DNA-binding activity. Our findings help to clarify the roles of pseudo GBL receptors as pleiotropic regulators and as receptors for new type autoregulator and exogenous antibiotic signal. A pseudo GBL receptor-mediated antibiotic signalling transduction system may be a common strategy that facilitates Streptomyces interspecies communication and survival in complex environments.

An overview on transcriptional regulators in Streptomyces

Streptomyces are Gram-positive microorganisms able to adapt and respond to different environmental conditions. It is the largest genus of Actinobacteria comprising over 900 species. During their lifetime, these microorganisms are able to differentiate, produce aerial mycelia and secondary metabolites. All of these processes are controlled by subtle and precise regulatory systems. Regulation at the transcriptional initiation level is probably the most common for metabolic adaptation in bacteria. In this mechanism, the major players are proteins named transcription factors (TFs), capable of binding DNA in order to repress or activate the transcription of specific genes. Some of the TFs exert their action just like activators or repressors, whereas others can function in both manners, depending on the target promoter. Generally, TFs achieve their effects by using one- or two-component systems, linking a specific type of environmental stimulus to a transcriptional response. After DNA sequencing, many streptomycetes have been found to have chromosomes ranging between 6 and 12Mb in size, with high GC content (around 70%). They encode for approximately 7000 to 10,000 genes, 50 to 100 pseudogenes and a large set (around 12% of the total chromosome) of regulatory genes, organized in networks, controlling gene expression in these bacteria. Among the sequenced streptomycetes reported up to now, the number of transcription factors ranges from 471 to 1101. Among these, 315 to 691 correspond to transcriptional regulators and 31 to 76 are sigma factors. The aim of this work is to give a state of the art overview on transcription factors in the genus Streptomyces.

The TetR family of regulators

The most common prokaryotic signal transduction mechanisms are the one-component systems in which a single polypeptide contains both a sensory domain and a DNA-binding domain. Among the >20 classes of one-component systems, the TetR family of regulators (TFRs) are widely associated with antibiotic resistance and the regulation of genes encoding small-molecule exporters. However, TFRs play a much broader role, controlling genes involved in metabolism, antibiotic production, quorum sensing, and many other aspects of prokaryotic physiology. There are several well-established model systems for understanding these important proteins, and structural studies have begun to unveil the mechanisms by which they bind DNA and recognize small-molecule ligands. The sequences for more than 200,000 TFRs are available in the public databases, and genomics studies are identifying their target genes. Three-dimensional structures have been solved for close to 200 TFRs. Comparison of these structures reveals a common overall architecture of nine conserved α helices. The most important open question concerning TFR biology is the nature and diversity of their ligands and how these relate to the biochemical processes under their control.

A single Sfp-type phosphopantetheinyl transferase plays a major role in the biosynthesis of PKS and NRPS derived metabolites in Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877

The phosphopantetheinyl transferases (PPTases) are responsible for the activation of the carrier protein domains of the polyketide synthases (PKS), non ribosomal peptide synthases (NRPS) and fatty acid synthases (FAS). The analysis of the Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 genome has revealed the presence of four putative PPTase encoding genes. One of these genes appears to be essential and is likely involved in fatty acid biosynthesis. Two other PPTase genes, samT0172 (alpN) and samL0372, are located within a type II PKS gene cluster responsible for the kinamycin production and an hybrid NRPS-PKS cluster involved in antimycin production, respectively, and their products were shown to be specifically involved in the biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites. Surprisingly, the fourth PPTase gene, which is not located within a secondary metabolite gene cluster, appears to play a pleiotropic role. Its product is likely involved in the activation of the acyl- and peptidyl-carrier protein domains within all the other PKS and NRPS complexes encoded by S. ambofaciens. Indeed, the deletion of this gene affects the production of the spiramycin and stambomycin macrolide antibiotics and of the grey spore pigment, all three being PKS-derived metabolites, as well as the production of the nonribosomally produced compounds, the hydroxamate siderophore coelichelin and the pyrrolamide antibiotic congocidine. In addition, this PPTase seems to act in concert with the product of samL0372 to activate the ACP and/or PCP domains of the antimycin biosynthesis cluster which is also responsible for the production of volatile lactones.

Genome mining of Streptomyces ambofaciens

Since the discovery of the streptomycin produced by Streptomyces griseus in the middle of the last century, members of this bacterial genus have been largely exploited for the production of secondary metabolites with wide uses in medicine and in agriculture. They have even been recognized as one of the most prolific producers of natural products among microorganisms. With the onset of the genomic era, it became evident that these microorganisms still represent a major source for the discovery of novel secondary metabolites. This was highlighted with the complete genome sequencing of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) which revealed an unexpected potential of this organism to synthesize natural products undetected until then by classical screening methods. Since then, analysis of sequenced genomes from numerous Streptomyces species has shown that a single species can carry more than 30 secondary metabolite gene clusters, reinforcing the idea that the biosynthetic potential of this bacterial genus is far from being fully exploited. This review highlights our knowledge on the potential of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC 23877 to synthesize natural products. This industrial strain was known for decades to only produce the drug spiramycin and another antibacterial compound, congocidine. Mining of its genome allowed the identification of 23 clusters potentially involved in the production of other secondary metabolites. Studies of some of these clusters resulted in the characterization of novel compounds and of previously known compounds but never characterized in this Streptomyces species. In addition, genome mining revealed that secondary metabolite gene clusters of phylogenetically closely related Streptomyces are mainly species-specific.

Computational Methods for Identification of Novel Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Pathways by Genome Analysis

Secondary metabolites belonging to polyketide and nonribosomal peptide families constitute a major class of natural products with diverse biological functions and a variety of pharmaceutically important properties. Experimental studies have shown that the biosynthetic machinery for polyketide and nonribosomal peptides involves multi-functional megasynthases like Polyketide Synthases (PKSs) and nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) which utilize a thiotemplate mechanism similar to that for fatty acid biosynthesis. Availability of complete genome sequences for an increasing number of microbial organisms has provided opportunities for using in silico genome mining to decipher the secondary metabolite natural product repertoire encoded by these organisms. Therefore, in recent years there have been major advances in development of computational methods which can analyze genome sequences to identify genes involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis and help in deciphering the putative chemical structures of their biosynthetic products based on analysis of the sequence and structural features of the proteins encoded by these genes. These computational methods for deciphering the secondary metabolite biosynthetic code essentially involve identification of various catalytic domains present in this PKS/NRPS family of enzymes; a prediction of various reactions in these enzymatic domains and their substrate specificities and also precise identification of the order in which these domains would catalyze various biosynthetic steps. Structural bioinformatics analysis of known secondary metabolite biosynthetic clusters has helped in formulation of predictive rules for deciphering domain organization, substrate specificity, and order of substrate channeling. In this chapter, the progress in development of various computational methods is discussed by different research groups, and specifically, the utility in identification of novel metabolites by genome mining and rational design of natural product analogs by biosynthetic engineering studies.

Waking up Streptomyces secondary metabolism by constitutive expression of activators or genetic disruption of repressors

Streptomycete bacteria are renowned as a prolific source of natural products with diverse biological activities. Production of these metabolites is often subject to transcriptional regulation: the biosynthetic genes remain silent until the required environmental and/or physiological signals occur. Consequently, in the laboratory environment, many gene clusters that direct the biosynthesis of natural products with clinical potential are not expressed or at very low level preventing the production/detection of the associated metabolite. Genetic engineering of streptomycetes can unleash the production of many new natural products. This chapter describes the overexpression of pathway-specific activators, the genetic disruption of pathway-specific repressors, and the main strategy used to identify and characterize new natural products from these engineered Streptomyces strains.

The autoregulator receptor homologue AvaR3 plays a regulatory role in antibiotic production, mycelial aggregation and colony development of Streptomyces avermitilis

The γ-butyrolactone autoregulator receptor has been shown to control secondary metabolism and/or morphological differentiation across many Streptomyces species. Streptomyces avermitilis produces an important anthelmintic agent (avermectin) and two further polyketide antibiotics, filipin and oligomycin. Genomic analysis of S. avermitilis revealed that this micro-organism has the clustered putative autoregulator receptor genes distant from the antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters. Here, we describe the characterization of avaR3, one of the clustered receptor genes, which encodes a protein containing an extra stretch of amino acid residues that has not been found in the family of autoregulator receptors. Disruption of avaR3 resulted in markedly decreased production of avermectins, with delayed expression of avermectin biosynthetic genes, suggesting that AvaR3 positively controls the avermectin biosynthetic genes. Moreover, the disruption caused increased production of filipin without any changes in the transcriptional profile of the filipin biosynthetic genes, suggesting that filipin production is indirectly controlled by AvaR3. The avaR3 disruptant displayed fragmented growth in liquid culture and conditional morphological defects on solid medium. These findings demonstrated that AvaR3 acts as a global regulator that controls antibiotic production and cell morphology.

Characterisation of a γ-butyrolactone receptor of Streptomyces tacrolimicus: effect on sporulation and tacrolimus biosynthesis

Streptomyces tacrolimicus (ATCC 55098) was reported to produce the immunosuppressant tacrolimus. The wild-type strain sporulates sparsely and produces very low levels of this immunosuppressant. The lack of genetic knowledge of this strain has hampered strain improvement. In this work, we have cloned the gene encoding a γ-butyrolactone receptor protein (Gbr). The gbr gene is linked to two genes encoding two subunits of the dihydroxyacetone kinase, putatively involved in the biosynthesis of the dihydroxyacetone phosphate precursor of γ-butyrolactone but is not flanked by γ-butyrolactone synthetase genes. The Gbr protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that Gbr binds to a specific autoregulatory element sequence located 338 bp upstream of the gbr gene, indicating that its expression is self-regulated. The deletion mutant Δgbr showed a very early and intense sporulation in two different media. A phenotype similar to that of the wild-type strain was restored by complementation of the Δgbr mutant with a wild-type gbr allele. Duplication of the gbr gene resulted in a slower sporulation. The Δgbr mutant produced much lower amount (32%) of tacrolimus quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. This analysis, using an optimised system, allowed the resolution of tacrolimus from ascomycin and other contaminant metabolites. Our results indicate that the Gbr protein regulates negatively the sporulation and positively the production of tacrolimus.

Identification of a bioactive 51-membered macrolide complex by activation of a silent polyketide synthase in Streptomyces ambofaciens

There is a constant need for new and improved drugs to combat infectious diseases, cancer, and other major life-threatening conditions. The recent development of genomics-guided approaches for novel natural product discovery has stimulated renewed interest in the search for natural product-based drugs. Genome sequence analysis of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 has revealed numerous secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, including a giant type I modular polyketide synthase (PKS) gene cluster, which is composed of 25 genes (nine of which encode PKSs) and spans almost 150 kb, making it one of the largest polyketide biosynthetic gene clusters described to date. The metabolic product(s) of this gene cluster are unknown, and transcriptional analyses showed that it is not expressed under laboratory growth conditions. The constitutive expression of a regulatory gene within the cluster, encoding a protein that is similar to Large ATP binding of the LuxR (LAL) family proteins, triggered the expression of the biosynthetic genes. This led to the identification of four 51-membered glycosylated macrolides, named stambomycins A-D as metabolic products of the gene cluster. The structures of these compounds imply several interesting biosynthetic features, including incorporation of unusual extender units into the polyketide chain and in trans hydroxylation of the growing polyketide chain to provide the hydroxyl group for macrolide formation. Interestingly, the stambomycins possess promising antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines. Database searches identify genes encoding LAL regulators within numerous cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters in actinomycete genomes, suggesting that constitutive expression of such pathway-specific activators represents a powerful approach for novel bioactive natural product discovery.

Characterization and manipulation of the pathway-specific late regulator AlpW reveals Streptomyces ambofaciens as a new producer of Kinamycins

The genome sequence of Streptomyces ambofaciens, a species known to produce the congocidine and spiramycin antibiotics, has revealed the presence of numerous gene clusters predicted to be involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Among them, the type II polyketide synthase-encoding alp cluster was shown to be responsible for the biosynthesis of a compound with antibacterial activity. Here, by means of a deregulation approach, we gained access to workable amounts of the antibiotics for structure elucidation. These compounds, previously designated as alpomycin, were shown to be known members of kinamycin family of antibiotics. Indeed, a mutant lacking AlpW, a member of the TetR regulator family, was shown to constitutively produce kinamycins. Comparative transcriptional analyses showed that expression of alpV, the essential regulator gene required for activation of the biosynthetic genes, is strongly maintained during the stationary growth phase in the alpW mutant, a stage at which alpV transcripts and thereby transcripts of the biosynthetic genes normally drop off. Recombinant AlpW displayed DNA binding activity toward specific motifs in the promoter region of its own gene and that of alpV and alpZ. These recognition sequences are also targets for AlpZ, the γ-butyrolactone-like receptor involved in the regulation of the alp cluster. However, unlike that of AlpZ, the AlpW DNA-binding ability seemed to be insensitive to the signaling molecules controlling antibiotic biosynthesis. Together, the results presented in this study reveal S. ambofaciens to be a new producer of kinamycins and AlpW to be a key late repressor of the cellular control of kinamycin biosynthesis.

Regulation of the biosynthesis of the macrolide antibiotic spiramycin in Streptomyces ambofaciens

Streptomyces ambofaciens synthesizes the macrolide antibiotic spiramycin. The biosynthetic gene cluster for spiramycin has been characterized for S. ambofaciens. In addition to the regulatory gene srmR (srm22), previously identified (M. Geistlich et al., Mol. Microbiol. 6:2019-2029, 1992), three putative regulatory genes had been identified by sequence analysis. Gene expression analysis and gene inactivation experiments showed that only one of these three genes, srm40, plays a major role in the regulation of spiramycin biosynthesis. The disruption of srm22 or srm40 eliminated spiramycin production while their overexpression increased spiramycin production. Expression analysis was performed by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for all the genes of the cluster in the wild-type strain and in the srm22 (srmR) and srm40 deletion mutants. The results from the expression analysis, together with the ones from the complementation experiments, indicated that Srm22 is required for srm40 expression, Srm40 being a pathway-specific activator that controls most, if not all, of the spiramycin biosynthetic genes.

The role of the TetR-family transcriptional regulator Aur1R in negative regulation of the auricin gene cluster in Streptomyces aureofaciens CCM 3239

Two regulatory genes, aur1P and aur1R, have been previously identified upstream of the aur1 polyketide gene cluster involved in biosynthesis of the angucycline-like antibiotic auricin in Streptomyces aureofaciens CCM 3239. The aur1P gene encodes a protein similar to the response regulators of bacterial two-component signal transduction systems and has been shown to specifically activate expression of the auricin biosynthetic genes. The aur1R gene encodes a protein homologous to transcriptional repressors of the TetR family. Here we describe the characterization of the aur1R gene. Expression of the gene is directed by a single promoter, aur1Rp, which is induced just before stationary phase. Disruption of aur1R in S. aureofaciens CCM 3239 had no effect on growth and differentiation. However, the disrupted strain produced more auricin than its parental wild-type S. aureofaciens CCM 3239 strain. Transcription from the aur1Ap and aur1Pp promoters, directing expression of the first biosynthetic gene in the auricin gene cluster and the pathway-specific transcriptional activator, respectively, was increased in the S. aureofaciens CCM 3239 aur1R mutant strain. However, Aur1R was shown to bind specifically only to the aur1Pp promoter in vitro. This binding was abolished by the addition of auricin and/or its intermediates. The results indicate that the Aur1R regulator specifically represses expression of the aur1P gene, which encodes a pathway-specific activator of the auricin biosynthetic gene cluster in S. aureofaciens CCM 3239, and that this repression is relieved by auricin or its intermediates.

"Pseudo" gamma-butyrolactone receptors respond to antibiotic signals to coordinate antibiotic biosynthesis

In actinomycetes, the onset of secondary metabolite biosynthesis is often triggered by the quorum-sensing signal gamma-butyrolactones (GBLs) via specific binding to their cognate receptors. However, the presence of multiple putative GBL receptor homologues in the genome suggests the existence of an alternative regulatory mechanism. Here, in the model streptomycete Streptomyces coelicolor, ScbR2 (SCO6286, a homologue of GBL receptor) is shown not to bind the endogenous GBL molecule SCB1, hence designated "pseudo" GBL receptor. Intriguingly, it could bind the endogenous antibiotics actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin as ligands, leading to the derepression of KasO, an activator of a cryptic type I polyketide synthase gene cluster. Likewise, JadR2 is also a putative GBL receptor homologue in Streptomyces venezuelae, the producer of chloramphenicol and cryptic antibiotic jadomycin. It is shown to coordinate their biosynthesis via direct repression of JadR1, which activates jadomycin biosynthesis while repressing chloramphenicol biosynthesis directly. Like ScbR2, JadR2 could also bind these two disparate antibiotics, and the interactions lead to the derepression of jadR1. The antibiotic responding activities of these pseudo GBL receptors were further demonstrated in vivo using the lux reporter system. Overall, these results suggest that pseudo GBL receptors play a novel role to coordinate antibiotic biosynthesis by binding and responding to antibiotics signals. Such an antibiotic-mediated regulatory mechanism could be a general strategy to coordinate antibiotic biosynthesis in the producing bacteria.

Deletion of a regulatory gene within the cpk gene cluster reveals novel antibacterial activity in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2)

Genome sequencing of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) revealed an uncharacterized type I polyketide synthase gene cluster (cpk). Here we describe the discovery of a novel antibacterial activity (abCPK) and a yellow-pigmented secondary metabolite (yCPK) after deleting a presumed pathway-specific regulatory gene (scbR2) that encodes a member of the gamma-butyrolactone receptor family of proteins and which lies in the cpk gene cluster. Overproduction of yCPK and abCPK in a scbR2 deletion mutant, and the absence of the newly described compounds from cpk deletion mutants, suggest that they are products of the previously orphan cpk biosynthetic pathway in which abCPK is converted into the yellow pigment. Transcriptional analysis suggests that scbR2 may act in a negative feedback mechanism to eventually limit yCPK biosynthesis. The results described here represent a novel approach for the discovery of new, biologically active compounds.

Genomic basis for natural product biosynthetic diversity in the actinomycetes

The phylum Actinobacteria hosts diverse high G + C, Gram-positive bacteria that have evolved a complex chemical language of natural product chemistry to help navigate their fascinatingly varied lifestyles. To date, 71 Actinobacteria genomes have been completed and annotated, with the vast majority representing the Actinomycetales, which are the source of numerous antibiotics and other drugs from genera such as Streptomyces, Saccharopolyspora and Salinispora . These genomic analyses have illuminated the secondary metabolic proficiency of these microbes – underappreciated for years based on conventional isolation programs – and have helped set the foundation for a new natural product discovery paradigm based on genome mining. Trends in the secondary metabolomes of natural product-rich actinomycetes are highlighted in this review article, which contains 199 references.

Characterization of gamma-butyrolactone autoregulatory signaling gene homologs in the angucyclinone polyketide WS5995B producer Streptomyces acidiscabies

Organisms belonging to the genus Streptomyces produce numerous important secondary metabolites and undergo a sophisticated morphological differentiation program. In many instances these processes are under the control of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) autoregulatory systems. Streptomyces acidiscabies strain 84.104 produces the secondary metabolite aromatic angucyclinone polyketide WS5995B. In order to explore the role of GBL regulatory circuitry in WS5995B production and morphogenesis in S. acidiscabies, a gene cluster encoding GBL autoregulatory signaling homologs was identified and characterized. Two GBL receptor homologs, sabR and sabS, were found flanking a GBL synthase homolog sabA. Strains carrying mutations in sabS produced elevated levels of WS5995B and displayed conditional morphological defects reminiscent of defects seen in Streptomyces bldA mutants. Notably, sabS possesses a TTA codon predicted to be recognized by tRNA(leu). sabA mutants produced higher levels of WS5995B than the wild-type strain but to a lesser extent than the levels of WS5995B seen in sabS mutants. Purified recombinant SabR and SabS were tested for their abilities to bind predicted AT-rich autoregulatory element (ARE) boxes within the sabRAS region. SabS did not bind any DNA sequences in this region, while SabR bound an ARE box in the region upstream of sabS. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis revealed higher levels of sabS transcript in sabR mutants than in the wild-type strain, suggesting that sabS expression is repressed by SabR. Based on these data, we propose that the S. acidiscabies sabRAS genes encode components of a signaling pathway which participates in the regulation of WS5995B production and morphogenesis.

Extracellular signalling, translational control, two repressors and an activator all contribute to the regulation of methylenomycin production in Streptomyces coelicolor

Bioinformatic analysis of the plasmid-linked gene cluster associated with biosynthesis of methylenomycin (Mm) suggested that part of the cluster directs synthesis of a gamma-butyrolactone-like autoregulator. Autoregulator activity could be extracted from culture fluids, but differed from gamma-butyrolactones in being alkali resistant. The activity has recently been shown to comprise a series of novel autoregulator molecules, the methylenomycin furans (termed MMF). MMF autoregulator activity is shown to account for the ability of certain Mm non-producing mutants to act as 'secretors' in cosynthesis with other 'convertor' mutants. Three genes implicated in MMF biosynthesis are flanked by two regulatory genes, which are related to genes for gamma-butyrolactone-binding proteins. Genetic evidence suggests that these two genes encode components of a hetero-oligomeric repressor of MMF and Mm biosynthesis. The Mm biosynthetic genes themselves depend on the activator gene mmyB, which appears to be repressed by the putative MmyR/MmfR complex until enough MMF accumulates to release repression. The presence of TTA codons in mmyB and the main MMF biosynthetic gene causes Mm production to be dependent on the pleiotropically acting bldA gene, which encodes the tRNA for the rarely used UUA codon.

Identification of genes involved in the butyrolactone autoregulator cascade that modulates secondary metabolism in Streptomyces lavendulae FRI-5

The gamma-butyrolactone-autoregulator signalling system is widely distributed across many Streptomyces species and it controls secondary metabolism and/or morphological differentiation. IM-2 [(2R,3R,1'R)-2-1'-hydroxybutyl-3-hydroxymethyl-gamma-butanolide] is a gamma-butyrolactone autoregulator which, in Streptomyces lavendulae FRI-5, switches off the production of D-cycloserine, but switches on the production of several nucleoside antibiotics and blue pigment. In the IM-2 system, an IM-2 specific receptor (FarA) plays a critical role in the biosynthetic regulation of these metabolites, including IM-2 itself. Here, we identified five additional regulatory genes in the farA-flanking region and demonstrated that, in addition to farA, at least two more genes (farR1 and farR2) are involved in the IM-2/FarA system as the direct transcriptional target of FarA. The gel-shift assay revealed that FarA was bound to the upstream region of the four genes (including farR1 and farR2) in an IM-2-dependent manner. The FarA-binding sites were localized by DNase I footprinting to 27- to 33-bp palindromic structures, suggesting that FarA-binding sequences consist of two conserved hexamers separated by six nucleotides. Both farR1 and farR2 were transcribed in a growth-dependent manner, and marked expression was induced in the presence of IM-2, whereas transcripts of other two genes were not detected under the cultivation conditions used. The FarA-binding sites of farR1 and far2 overlap the promoter regions, suggesting that FarA represses the transcription of these two genes in the absence of IM-2 by inhibiting RNA polymerase access.