A gene cluster for the mevalonate pathway from Streptomyces sp. Strain CL190

Studies on Streptomyces sp. SN-593: reveromycin biosynthesis, β-carboline biomediator activating LuxR family regulator, and construction of terpenoid biosynthetic platform

Streptomyces represents an important reservoir for biologically active natural products. Understanding the biosynthetic mechanism and the mode of gene expression is important for enhanced metabolite production and evaluation of biological activities. This review provides an overview of biosynthetic studies investigating reveromycin and β-carboline biomediators that enhanced the production of reveromycin in Streptomyces sp. SN-593 through activation of the LuxR family regulator. Furthermore, based on the optimal expression of a pathway specific regulator controlling the mevalonate pathway gene cluster, Streptomyces sp. SN-593 was developed as a platform for terpenoid compounds mass production.

Molecular Biology and Genetic Tools to Investigate Functional Redundancy Among Fe-S Cluster Carriers in E. coli

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are among the oldest protein cofactors, and Fe-S cluster-based chemistry has shaped the cellular metabolism of all living organisms. Over the last 30 years, thanks to molecular biology and genetic approaches, numerous actors for Fe-S cluster assembly and delivery to apotargets have been uncovered. In prokaryotes, Escherichia coli is the best-studied for its convenience of growth and its genetic amenability. During evolution, redundant ways to secure the supply of Fe-S clusters to the client proteins have emerged in E. coli. Disrupting gene expression is essential for gene function exploration, but redundancy can blur the interpretations as it can mask the role of important biogenesis components. This chapter describes molecular biology and genetic strategies that have permitted to reveal the E. coli Fe-S cluster conveying component network, composition, organization, and plasticity. In this chapter, we will describe the following genetic methods to investigate the importance of E. coli Fe-S cluster carriers: one-step inactivation of chromosomal genes in E. coli using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products, P1 transduction, arabinose-inducible expression system, mevalonate (MVA) genetic by-pass, sensitivity tests to oxidative stress and iron starvation, β-galactosidase assay, gentamicin survival test, and Hot Fusion cloning method.

Bacterial terpenome

Covering: up to mid-2020 Terpenoids, also called isoprenoids, are the largest and most structurally diverse family of natural products. Found in all domains of life, there are over 80 000 known compounds. The majority of characterized terpenoids, which include some of the most well known, pharmaceutically relevant, and commercially valuable natural products, are produced by plants and fungi. Comparatively, terpenoids of bacterial origin are rare. This is counter-intuitive to the fact that recent microbial genomics revealed that almost all bacteria have the biosynthetic potential to create the C5 building blocks necessary for terpenoid biosynthesis. In this review, we catalogue terpenoids produced by bacteria. We collected 1062 natural products, consisting of both primary and secondary metabolites, and classified them into two major families and 55 distinct subfamilies. To highlight the structural and chemical space of bacterial terpenoids, we discuss their structures, biosynthesis, and biological activities. Although the bacterial terpenome is relatively small, it presents a fascinating dichotomy for future research. Similarities between bacterial and non-bacterial terpenoids and their biosynthetic pathways provides alternative model systems for detailed characterization while the abundance of novel skeletons, biosynthetic pathways, and bioactivies presents new opportunities for drug discovery, genome mining, and enzymology.

Recent Advances in the Biosynthesis of Carbazoles Produced by Actinomycetes

Structurally diverse carbazole alkaloids are valuable due to their pharmaceutical properties and have been isolated from nature. Experimental knowledge on carbazole biosynthesis is limited. The latest development of in silico analysis of the biosynthetic gene clusters for bacterial carbazoles has allowed studies on the biosynthesis of a carbazole skeleton, which was established by sequential enzyme-coupling reactions associated with an unprecedented carbazole synthase, a thiamine-dependent enzyme, and a ketosynthase-like enzyme. This review describes the carbazole biosynthetic mechanism, which includes a key step in enzymatic formation of a tricyclic carbazole skeleton, followed by modifications such as prenylation and hydroxylation in the skeleton.

Distinct roles for U-type proteins in iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis revealed by genetic analysis of the Bacillus subtilis sufCDSUB operon

The biosynthesis of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters in Bacillus subtilis is mediated by the SUF-like system composed of the sufCDSUB gene products. This system is unique in that it is a chimeric machinery comprising homologues of E. coli SUF components (SufS, SufB, SufC and SufD) and an ISC component (IscU). B. subtilis SufS cysteine desulfurase transfers persulfide sulfur to SufU (the IscU homologue); however, it has remained controversial whether SufU serves as a scaffold for Fe-S cluster assembly, like IscU, or acts as a sulfur shuttle protein, like E. coli SufE. Here we report that reengineering of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway in B. subtilis can offset the indispensability of the sufCDSUB operon, allowing the resultant Δsuf mutants to grow without detectable Fe-S proteins. Heterologous bidirectional complementation studies using B. subtilis and E. coli mutants showed that B. subtilis SufSU is interchangeable with E. coli SufSE but not with IscSU. In addition, functional similarity in SufB, SufC and SufD was observed between B. subtilis and E. coli. Our findings thus indicate that B. subtilis SufU is the protein that transfers sulfur from SufS to SufB, and that the SufBCD complex is the site of Fe-S cluster assembly.

Development of a Terpenoid-Production Platform in Streptomyces reveromyceticus SN-593

Terpenoids represent the largest class of natural products, some of which are resources for pharmaceuticals, fragrances, and fuels. Generally, mass production of valuable terpenoid compounds is hampered by their low production levels in organisms and difficulty of chemical synthesis. Therefore, the development of microbial biosynthetic platforms represents an alternative approach. Although microbial terpenoid-production platforms have been established in Escherichia coli and yeast, an optimal platform has not been developed for Streptomyces species, despite the large capacity to produce secondary metabolites, such as polyketide compounds. To explore this potential, we constructed a terpenoid-biosynthetic platform in Streptomyces reveromyceticus SN-593. This strain is unique in that it harbors the mevalonate gene cluster enabling the production of furaquinocin, which can be controlled by the pathway specific regulator Fur22. We simultaneously expressed the mevalonate gene cluster and subsequent terpenoid-biosynthetic genes under the control of Fur22. To achieve improved fur22 gene expression, we screened promoters from S. reveromyceticus SN-593. Our results showed that the promoter associated with rvr2030 gene enabled production of 212 ± 20 mg/L botryococcene to levels comparable to those previously reported for other microbial hosts. Given that the rvr2030 gene encodes for an enzyme involved in the primary metabolism, these results suggest that optimized expression of terpenoid-biosynthetic genes with primary and secondary metabolism might be as important for high yields of terpenoid compounds as is the absolute expression level of a target gene(s).

Biosynthetic studies on terpenoids produced by Streptomyces

Terpenoids are a large and highly diverse group of natural products. All terpenoids are biosynthesized from isoprenyl diphosphate formed by the consecutive condensation of the five-carbon monomer isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) to its isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). Two distinct biosynthetic pathways produce the essential primary metabolites IPP and DMAPP: the 2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway and the mevalonate pathway. The isoprenyl substrates can be cyclized by terpene cyclase into single-ring or multi-ring products, which can be further diversified by subsequent modification reactions, such as hydroxylation and glycosylation. This review article describes the biosynthetic pathways of terpenoids produced by Streptomyces and their related novel enzymes.

Novel features of the ISC machinery revealed by characterization of Escherichia coli mutants that survive without iron-sulfur clusters

Biological assembly of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters is mediated by complex systems consisting of multiple proteins. Escherichia coli possesses two distinct systems called the ISC and SUF machineries encoded by iscSUA-hscBA-fdx-iscX and sufABCDSE respectively. Deletion of both pathways results in absence of the biosynthetic apparatus for Fe-S clusters, and consequent lethality, which has hampered detailed genetic studies. Here we report that modification of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway can offset the indispensability of the Fe-S cluster biosynthetic systems and show that the resulting Δisc Δsuf double mutants can grow without detectable Fe-S cluster-containing proteins. We also constructed a series of mutants in which each isc gene was disrupted in the deletion background of sufABCDSE. Phenotypic analysis of the mutants revealed that Fdx, an essential electron-transfer Fe-S protein in the ISC machinery, is dispensable under anaerobic conditions, which is similar to the situation with IscA. Furthermore, we found that several suppressor mutations in IscU, an Fe-S scaffold protein responsible for the de novo Fe-S cluster assembly, could bypass the essential role of the chaperone system HscA and HscB. These findings pave the way toward a detailed molecular analysis to understand the mechanisms involved in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis.

Metabolic engineering of Salmonella vaccine bacteria to boost human Vγ2Vδ2 T cell immunity

Human Vγ2Vδ2 T cells monitor isoprenoid metabolism by recognizing foreign (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP), a metabolite in the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate pathway used by most eubacteria and apicomplexan parasites, and self isopentenyl pyrophosphate, a metabolite in the mevalonate pathway used by humans. Whereas microbial infections elicit prolonged expansion of memory Vγ2Vδ2 T cells, immunization with prenyl pyrophosphates or aminobisphosphonates elicit short-term Vγ2Vδ2 expansion with rapid anergy and deletion upon subsequent immunizations. We hypothesized that a live, attenuated bacterial vaccine that overproduces HMBPP would elicit long-lasting Vγ2Vδ2 T cell immunity by mimicking a natural infection. Therefore, we metabolically engineered the avirulent aroA(-) Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium SL7207 strain by deleting the gene for LytB (the downstream enzyme from HMBPP) and functionally complementing for this loss with genes encoding mevalonate pathway enzymes. LytB(-) Salmonella SL7207 had high HMBPP levels, infected human cells as efficiently as did the wild-type bacteria, and stimulated large ex vivo expansions of Vγ2Vδ2 T cells from human donors. Importantly, vaccination of a rhesus monkey with live lytB(-) Salmonella SL7207 stimulated a prolonged expansion of Vγ2Vδ2 T cells without significant side effects or anergy induction. These studies provide proof-of-principle that metabolic engineering can be used to derive live bacterial vaccines that boost Vγ2Vδ2 T cell immunity. Similar engineering of metabolic pathways to produce lipid Ags or B vitamin metabolite Ags could be used to derive live bacterial vaccine for other unconventional T cells that recognize nonpeptide Ags.

Biochemical evidence supporting the presence of the classical mevalonate pathway in the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

The existence of the classical mevalonate (MVA) pathway was examined in the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. The pathway is considered uncommon among archaea because the genes of the orthologues of phosphomevalonate kinase (PMK) and/or diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (DMD) are absent in the genomes of most archaea. Instead, the modified MVA pathway, which involves isopentenyl phosphate kinase (IPK), has been proposed to exist in the archaea that lack the classical pathway. However, some archaea including S. solfataricus possess the genes of the orthologues of both IPK and all enzymes of the classical pathway. Biochemical characterization using recombinant proteins showed that the orthologues of the enzymes catalyzing the late steps of the classical pathway, i.e. MVA kinase, PMK and DMD, are all active. Moreover, in vitro conversion of the intermediates in the classical and modified pathways by cell-free extract from S. solfataricus indicated that only the classical pathway likely works in the organism.

Merochlorins A-D, cyclic meroterpenoid antibiotics biosynthesized in divergent pathways with vanadium-dependent chloroperoxidases

Meroterpenoids are mixed polyketide-terpenoid natural products with a broad range of biological activities. Herein, we present the structures of four new meroterpenoid antibiotics, merochlorins A-D, produced by the marine bacterium Streptomyces sp. strain CNH-189, which possess novel chemical skeletons unrelated to known bacterial agents. Draft genome sequencing, mutagenesis, and heterologous biosynthesis in the genome-minimized model actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor provided the 57.6 kb merochlorin gene cluster that contains two genes encoding rare bacterial vanadium-dependent haloperoxidase (VHPO) genes. Pathway expression of two different fosmid clones that differ largely by the presence or absence of the VHPO gene mcl40 resulted in the differential biosynthesis of merochlorin C, suggesting that Mcl40 catalyzes an unprecedented 15-membered chloronium-induced macrocyclization reaction converting merochlorin D to merochlorin C.

Novel approach in the biosynthesis of functional carotenoids in Escherichia coli

Many carotenoid pigments are present in a small quantity in nature or low yielding from their natural sources, despite these vivid colorations. Thus, the synthesis of useful carotenoids with metabolic pathway-engineered microorganisms should offer an alternative and promising approach for their efficient production. Here, we describe a novel method for an efficient production of such carotenoids, using E. coli cells that carry heterologous mevalonate pathway-based genes. This method also enables relevant researchers to efficiently identify the function of an isolated carotenogenic gene candidate. For example, the recombinant E. coli cells, which harbor a lycopene-producing plasmid, can synthesize 12.5 mg/g dry cell weight of lycopene with the addition of lithium acetoacetate to the medium. This level corresponded to an 11.8-fold increase of that of E. coli cells carrying only the lycopene-producing plasmid.

Two distinct pathways for essential metabolic precursors for isoprenoid biosynthesis

Isoprenoids are a diverse group of molecules found in all organisms, where they perform such important biological functions as hormone signaling (e.g., steroids) in mammals, antioxidation (e.g., carotenoids) in plants, electron transport (e.g., ubiquinone), and cell wall biosynthesis intermediates in bacteria. All isoprenoids are synthesized by the consecutive condensation of the five-carbon monomer isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) to its isomer, dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). The biosynthetic pathway for the formation of IPP from acetyl-CoA (i.e., the mevalonate pathway) had been established mainly in mice and the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Curiously, most prokaryotic microorganisms lack homologs of the genes in the mevalonate pathway, even though IPP and DMAPP are essential for isoprenoid biosynthesis in bacteria. This observation provided an impetus to search for an alternative pathway to synthesize IPP and DMAPP, ultimately leading to the discovery of the mevalonate-independent 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway. This review article focuses on our significant contributions to a comprehensive understanding of the biosynthesis of IPP and DMAPP.

Convergent strategies in biosynthesis

This review article focuses on how nature sometimes solves the same problem in the biosynthesis of small molecules but using very different approaches. Four examples, involving isopentenyl diphosphate, menaquinone, lysine, and aromatic polyketides, are highlighted that represent different strategies in convergent metabolism.

Efficient functional analysis system for cyanobacterial or plant cytochromes P450 involved in sesquiterpene biosynthesis

Tractable plasmids (pAC-Mv-based plasmids) for Escherichia coli were constructed, which carried a mevalonate-utilizing gene cluster, towards an efficient functional analysis of cytochromes P450 involved in sesquiterpene biosynthesis. They included genes coding for a series of redox partners that transfer the electrons from NAD(P)H to a P450 protein. The redox partners used were ferredoxin reductases (CamA and NsRED) and ferredoxins (CamB and NsFER), which are derived from Pseudomonas putida and cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. strain PCC 7120, respectively, as well as three higher-plant NADPH-P450 reductases, the Arabidopsis thaliana ATR2 and two corresponding enzymes derived from ginger (Zingiber officinale), named ZoRED1 and ZoRED2. We also constructed plasmids for functional analysis of two P450s, α-humulene-8-hydroxylase (CYP71BA1) from shampoo ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) and germacrene A hydroxylase (P450NS; CYP110C1) from Nostoc sp. PCC 7120, and co-transformed E. coli with each of the pAC-Mv-based plasmids. Production levels of 8-hydroxy-α-humulene with recombinant E. coli cells (for CYP71BA1) were 1.5- to 2.3-fold higher than that of a control strain without the mevalonate-pathway genes. Level of the P450NS product with the combination of NsRED and NsFER was 2.9-fold higher than that of the CamA and CamB. The predominant product of P450NS was identified as 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,8a-octahydro-6-isopropenyl-4,8a-dimethylnaphth-1-ol with NMR analyses.

Unprecedented acetoacetyl-coenzyme A synthesizing enzyme of the thiolase superfamily involved in the mevalonate pathway

Acetoacetyl-CoA is the precursor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA in the mevalonate pathway, which is essential for terpenoid backbone biosynthesis. Acetoacetyl-CoA is also the precursor of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate, a polymer belonging to the polyester class produced by microorganisms. The de novo synthesis of acetoacetyl-CoA is usually catalyzed by acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase via a thioester-dependent Claisen condensation reaction between two molecules of acetyl-CoA. Here, we report that nphT7, found in the mevalonate pathway gene cluster from a soil-isolated Streptomyces sp. strain, encodes an unusual acetoacetyl-CoA synthesizing enzyme. The recombinant enzyme overexpressed in Escherichia coli catalyzes a single condensation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA to give acetoacetyl-CoA and CoA. Replacement of malonyl-CoA with malonyl-(acyl carrier protein) resulted in loss of the condensation activity. No acetoacetyl-CoA synthesizing activity was detected through the condensation of two molecules of acetyl-CoA. Based on these properties of NphT7, we propose to name this unusual enzyme of the thiolase superfamily acetoacetyl-CoA synthase. Coexpression of nphT7 with the HMG-CoA synthase gene and the HMG-CoA reductase gene in a heterologous host allowed 3.5-fold higher production of mevalonate than when only the HMG-CoA synthase and HMG-CoA reductase genes were expressed. This result suggests that nphT7 can be used to significantly increase the concentration of acetoacetyl-CoA in cells, eventually leading to the production of useful terpenoids and poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate.

Cloning and characterization of a novel gene that encodes (S)-beta-bisabolene synthase from ginger, Zingiber officinale

Ginger, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, contains a fragrant oil mainly composed of sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes. We isolated a cDNA that codes for a sesquiterpene synthase from young rhizomes of ginger, Z. officinale Roscoe, Japanese cultivar "Kintoki". The cDNA, designated ZoTps1, potentially encoded a protein that comprised 550 amino acid residues and exhibited 49-53% identity with those of the sesquiterpene synthases already isolated from the genus Zingiber. Recombinant Escherichia coli cells, in which ZoTps1 was coexpressed along with genes for D-mevalonate utilization, resulted in the production of a sesquiterpene (S)-beta-bisabolene exclusively with a D-mevalonolactone supplement. This result indicated that ZoTps1 was the (S)-beta-bisabolene synthase gene in ginger. ZoTPS1 was suggested to catalyze (S)-beta-bisabolene formation with the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to nerolidyl diphosphate followed by the cyclization between position 1 and 6 carbons. The ZoTps1 transcript was detected in young rhizomes, but not in leaves, roots and mature rhizomes of the ginger "Kintoki".

Distribution of the 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase gene and isoprenoid production in marine-derived Actinobacteria

During the course of our screening program to isolate isoprenoids from marine Actinobacteria, 523 actinobacterial strains were isolated from 18 marine sponges, a tunicate, and two marine sediments. These strains belonged to 21 different genera, but most were members of Streptomyces, Nocardia, Rhodococcus, and Micromonospora. Some Actinobacteria have been reported to use the mevalonate pathway for the production of isoprenoids as secondary metabolites. Therefore, we investigated whether these strains possessed the 3-hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (hmgr) gene, which indicates the presence of the mevalonate pathway. As a result, six strains belonging to the genera Streptomyces (SpC080624SC-11, SpA080624GE-02, and Sp080513GE-23), Nocardia (Sp080513SC-18), and Micromonospora (Se080624GE-07 and SpC080624GE-05) were found to possess the hmgr gene, and these genes were highly similar to hmgr genes in isoprenoid biosynthetic gene clusters. Among the six strains, the two strains SpC080624SC-11 and SpA080624GE-02 produced the novel isoprenoids, JBIR-46, -47, and -48, which consisted of phenazine chromophores, and Sp080513GE-23 produced a known isoprenoid, fumaquinone. Furthermore, these compounds showed cytotoxic activity against human acute myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells.

Prenyl transfer to aromatic substrates in the biosynthesis of aminocoumarins, meroterpenoids and phenazines: the ABBA prenyltransferase family

Aromatic prenyltransferases transfer prenyl moieties onto aromatic acceptor molecules, catalyzing an electrophilic substitution of the aromatic ring under formation of carbon-carbon bonds. They give rise to an astounding diversity of primary and secondary metabolites in plants, fungi and bacteria. This review describes a recently discovered family of aromatic prenyltransferases. The structure of these enyzmes shows a type of beta/alpha fold with antiparallel beta strands. Due to the alpha-beta-beta-alpha architecture of this fold, this group of enzymes was designated as ABBA prenyltransferases. They lack the (N/D)DxxD motif which is characteristic for many other prenyltransferases. At present, 14 genes with sequence similarity to ABBA prenyltransferases can be identified in the database. A phylogenetic analysis of these genes separates them into two clades. One of them comprises the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate 3-dimethylallyltransferases CloQ and NovQ involved in aminocoumarin antibiotic biosynthesis in Streptomyces strains, as well as four genes of unknown function from fungal genomes. The other clade comprises genes involved in the biosynthesis of prenylated naphthoquinones and prenylated phenazines in different streptomycetes. ABBA prenyltransferases are soluble biocatalysts which can easily be obtained as homogeneous proteins in significant amounts. Their substrates are accommodated in a surprisingly spacious central cavity which explains their promiscuity for different aromatic substrates. Therefore, the enzymes of this family represent attractive tools for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of bioactive molecules.

Aromatic prenylation in phenazine biosynthesis: dihydrophenazine-1-carboxylate dimethylallyltransferase from Streptomyces anulatus

The bacterium Streptomyces anulatus 9663, isolated from the intestine of different arthropods, produces prenylated derivatives of phenazine 1-carboxylic acid. From this organism, we have identified the prenyltransferase gene ppzP. ppzP resides in a gene cluster containing orthologs of all genes known to be involved in phenazine 1-carboxylic acid biosynthesis in Pseudomonas strains as well as genes for the six enzymes required to generate dimethylallyl diphosphate via the mevalonate pathway. This is the first complete gene cluster of a phenazine natural compound from streptomycetes. Heterologous expression of this cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor M512 resulted in the formation of prenylated derivatives of phenazine 1-carboxylic acid. After inactivation of ppzP, only nonprenylated phenazine 1-carboxylic acid was formed. Cloning, overexpression, and purification of PpzP resulted in a 37-kDa soluble protein, which was identified as a 5,10-dihydrophenazine 1-carboxylate dimethylallyltransferase, forming a C-C bond between C-1 of the isoprenoid substrate and C-9 of the aromatic substrate. In contrast to many other prenyltransferases, the reaction of PpzP is independent of the presence of magnesium or other divalent cations. The K(m) value for dimethylallyl diphosphate was determined as 116 microm. For dihydro-PCA, half-maximal velocity was observed at 35 microm. K(cat) was calculated as 0.435 s(-1). PpzP shows obvious sequence similarity to a recently discovered family of prenyltransferases with aromatic substrates, the ABBA prenyltransferases. The present finding extends the substrate range of this family, previously limited to phenolic compounds, to include also phenazine derivatives.

Efficient synthesis of functional isoprenoids from acetoacetate through metabolic pathway-engineered Escherichia coli

We show here an efficient synthesis system of isoprenoids from acetoacetate as the main substrate. We expressed in Escherichia coli a Streptomyces mevalonate pathway gene cluster starting from HMG-CoA synthase and including isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (idi) type 2 gene and the yeast idi type 1 and rat acetoacetate-CoA ligase (Aacl) genes. When the alpha-humulene synthase (ZSS1) gene of shampoo ginger was expressed in this transformant, the resultant E. coli produced 958 mug/mL culture of alpha-humulene with a lithium acetoacetate (LAA) supplement, which was a 13.6-fold increase compared with a control E. coli strain expressing only ZSS1. Next, we investigated if this E. coli strain engineered to utilize acetoacetate can synthesize carotenoids effectively. When the crtE, crtB, and crtI genes required for lycopene synthesis were expressed in the transformant, lycopene amounts reached 12.5 mg/g dry cell weight with addition of LAA, an 11.8-fold increase compared with a control expressing only the three crt genes. As for astaxanthin production with the E. coli transformant, in which the crtE, crtB, crtI, crtY, crtZ, and crtW genes were expressed, the total amount of carotenoids produced (astaxanthin, lycopene, and phytoene) was significantly increased to 7.5 times that of a control expressing only the six crt genes.

Bacterial volatiles and their action potential

During the past few years, an increasing awareness concerning the emission of an unexpected high number of bacterial volatiles has been registered. Humans sense, intensively and continuously, microbial volatiles that are released during food transformation and fermentation, e.g., the aroma of wine and cheese. Recent investigations have clearly demonstrated that bacteria also employ their volatiles during interactions with other organisms in order to influence populations and communities. This review summarizes the presently known bioactive compounds and lists the wide panoply of effects possessed by organisms such as fungi, plants, animals, and bacteria. Because bacteria often emit highly complex volatile mixtures, the determination of biologically relevant volatiles remains in its infancy. Part of the future goal is to unravel the structure of these volatiles and their biosynthesis. Nevertheless, bacterial volatiles represent a source for new natural compounds that are interesting for man, since they can be used, for example, to improve human health or to increase the productivity of agricultural products.

Biosynthesis of diazepinomicin/ECO-4601, a Micromonospora secondary metabolite with a novel ring system

The novel microbial metabolite diazepinomicin/ECO-4601 (1) has a unique tricyclic dibenzodiazepinone core, which was unprecedented among microbial metabolites. Labeled feeding experiments indicated that the carbocyclic ring and the ring nitrogen of tryptophan could be incorporated via degradation to the 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, forming ring A and the nonamide nitrogen of 1. Genomic analysis of the biosynthetic locus indicated that the farnesyl side chain was mevalonate derived, the 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid moiety could be formed directly from chorismate, and the third ring was constructed via 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid. Successful incorporation of 4,6-D2-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid into ring A of 1 via feeding experiments supports the genetic analysis and the allocation of the locus to this biosynthesis. These studies highlight the enzymatic complexity needed to produce this structural type, which is rare in nature.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of alpha-humulene synthase, a possible key enzyme of zerumbone biosynthesis in shampoo ginger (Zingiber zerumbet Smith)

Shampoo ginger (Zingiber zerumbet Smith) has a high content and large variety of terpenoids in the essential oil of its rhizome. Here, we report on the isolation of a cDNA clone (ZSS1) encoding alpha-humulene synthase, a possible key enzyme of zerumbone biosynthesis. This clone contains an open reading frame of 1,644 bp and is predicted to encode a protein of 548 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 64.5 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence shows 34-63% identity with known sesquiterpene synthases of other angiosperm species. Based on exon-intron organization, ZSS1 is classified as the terpene synthase-III (TPS-III) subfamily. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the recombinant enzyme catalyzed the formation of a major product, alpha-humulene (95%) and a minor by-product, beta-caryophyllene (5%). Introduction of ZSS1 and the foreign mevalonate pathway involved in FPP synthesis into E. coli results in in vivo production of alpha-humulene. Transcript of ZSS1 was detected almost exclusively in rhizomes and was up-regulated in both leaves and rhizomes after treatment with methyl jasmonate (MeJA), suggesting its ecological function in shampoo ginger.

1-Hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase (IDS) is encoded by multicopy genes in gymnosperms Ginkgo biloba and Pinus taeda

Isoprenoids are synthesized through the condensation of five-carbon intermediates, isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP), derived from two distinct biosynthetic routes: cytosolic mevalonate (MVA) and plastidial 2-C-methyl-D: -erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathways. 1-Hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase (IDS; EC 1.17.1.2), which catalyzes the last step of MEP pathway, was cloned as a multicopy gene from gymnosperms Ginkgo biloba (GbIDS1, GbIDS2, and GbIDS2-1) and Pinus taeda (PtIDS1 and PtIDS2), and characterized. Phylogenetic tree constructed with other plant IDSs demonstrated gymnosperm IDSs were distinctively different from angiosperm IDSs. The gymnosperm IDS clade contained two subclades, one composed of GbIDS1 and PtIDS1, and the other composed of GbIDS2, GbIDS2-1, and PtIDS2. G. biloba IDSs, except GbIDS2-1, successfully complemented Escherichia coli DLYT1, a lytB disruptant, confirming the in vivo competency of isozymes. During the 4 weeks study period, although transcript levels of GbIDS1s were similar both in roots and leaves of cultured G. biloba embryo, the transcripts of GbIDS2 predominantly occurred in the embryo roots, where diterpene ginkgolides are biosynthesized. Levels of PtIDS2 transcripts in the diterpenoid resin-producing wood were 4-5 times higher than those in other tissues. Higher levels of GbIDS1 transcripts were induced by light, whereas those of GbIDS2 were increased by methyl jasmonate treatment. These results strongly imply GbIDS2 and PtIDS2 have high correlation with secondary metabolism. In Arabidopsis transient expression system, N-terminal 100 amino acid residues of GbIDS1 delivered fused GFP protein into chloroplast as well as cytosol and nucleus, whereas those of GbIDS2, GbIDS2-1, and two PtIDSs delivered GFP only into chloroplast.

Leucobacter chromiireducens subsp. solipictus subsp. nov., a pigmented bacterium isolated from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and emended description of L. chromiireducens

A yellow-pigmented, Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, irregular rod-shaped bacterium (strain TAN 31504T) was isolated from the bacteriophagous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, DNA G+C content of 69.5 mol%, 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, major menaquinone MK-11, abundance of anteiso- and iso-fatty acids, polar lipids diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol and a number of shared biochemical characteristics, strain TAN 31504T was placed in the genus Leucobacter. DNA–DNA hybridization comparisons demonstrated a 91 % DNA–DNA relatedness between strain TAN 31504T and Leucobacter chromiireducens LMG 22506T indicating that these two strains belong to the same species, when the recommended threshold value of 70 % DNA–DNA relatedness for the definition of a bacterial species by the ad hoc committee on reconciliation of approaches to bacterial systematics is considered. Based on distinct differences in morphology, physiology, chemotaxonomic markers and various biochemical characteristics, it is proposed to split the species L. chromiireducens into two novel subspecies, Leucobacter chromiireducens subsp. chromiireducens subsp. nov. (type strain L-1T=CIP 108389T=LMG 22506T) and Leucobacter chromiireducens subsp. solipictus subsp. nov. (type strain TAN 31504T=DSM 18340T=ATCC BAA-1336T).

A gene cluster for prenylated naphthoquinone and prenylated phenazine biosynthesis in Streptomyces cinnamonensis DSM 1042

Streptomyces cinnamonensis DSM 1042 produces two classes of secondary metabolites of mixed isoprenoid/nonisoprenoid origin: the polyketide-isoprenoid compound furanonaphthoquinone I (FNQ I) and several prenylated phenazines, predominantly endophenazine A. We now report the cloning and sequence analysis of a 55 kb gene cluster required for the biosynthesis of these compounds. Several inactivation experiments confirmed the involvement of this gene cluster in the biosynthesis of FNQ I and endophenazine A. The six identified genes for endophenazine biosynthesis showed close similarity to phenazine biosynthetic genes from Pseudomonas. Of the 28 open reading frames identified in the adjacent FNQ I cluster, 13 showed close similarity to genes contained in the cluster for furaquinocin-a structurally similar metabolite from another Streptomyces strain. These genes included a type III polyketide synthase sequence, a momA-like monooxygenase gene, and two cloQ-like prenyltransferase genes designated fnq26 and fnq28. Inactivation experiments confirmed the involvement of fnq26 in FNQ I biosynthesis, whereas no change in secondary-metabolite formation was observed after fnq28 inactivation. The FNQ I cluster contains a contiguous group of five genes, which together encode all the enzymatic functions required for the recycling of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Two SAM-dependent methyltransferases are encoded within the cluster. Inactivation experiments showed that fnq9 is responsible for the 7-O-methylation and fnq27 for the 6-C-methylation reaction in FNQ I biosynthesis.

Molecular basis for chloronium-mediated meroterpene cyclization: cloning, sequencing, and heterologous expression of the napyradiomycin biosynthetic gene cluster

Structural inspection of the bacterial meroterpenoid antibiotics belonging to the napyradiomycin family of chlorinated dihydroquinones suggests that the biosynthetic cyclization of their terpenoid subunits is initiated via a chloronium ion. The vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases that catalyze such reactions are distributed in fungi and marine algae and have yet to be characterized from bacteria. The cloning and sequence analysis of the 43-kb napyradiomycin biosynthetic cluster (nap) from Streptomyces aculeolatus NRRL 18422 and from the undescribed marine sediment-derived Streptomyces sp. CNQ-525 revealed 33 open reading frames, three of which putatively encode vanadium-dependent chloroperoxidases. Heterologous expression of the CNQ-525-based nap biosynthetic cluster in Streptomyces albus produced at least seven napyradiomycins, including the new analog 2-deschloro-2-hydroxy-A80915C. These data not only revealed the molecular basis behind the biosynthesis of these novel meroterpenoid natural products but also resulted in the first in vivo verification of vanadium-dependent haloperoxidases.

Biosynthesis of a natural polyketide-isoprenoid hybrid compound, furaquinocin A: identification and heterologous expression of the gene cluster

Furaquinocin (FQ) A, produced by Streptomyces sp. strain KO-3988, is a natural polyketide-isoprenoid hybrid compound that exhibits a potent antitumor activity. As a first step toward understanding the biosynthetic machinery of this unique and pharmaceutically useful compound, we have cloned an FQ A biosynthetic gene cluster by taking advantage of the fact that an isoprenoid biosynthetic gene cluster generally exists in flanking regions of the mevalonate (MV) pathway gene cluster in actinomycetes. Interestingly, Streptomyces sp. strain KO-3988 was the first example of a microorganism equipped with two distinct mevalonate pathway gene clusters. We were able to localize a 25-kb DNA region that harbored FQ A biosynthetic genes (fur genes) in both the upstream and downstream regions of one of the MV pathway gene clusters (MV2) by using heterologous expression in Streptomyces lividans TK23. This was the first example of a gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of a polyketide-isoprenoid hybrid compound. We have also confirmed that four genes responsible for viguiepinol [3-hydroxypimara-9(11),15-diene] biosynthesis exist in the upstream region of the other MV pathway gene cluster (MV1), which had previously been cloned from strain KO-3988. This was the first example of prokaryotic enzymes with these biosynthetic functions. By phylogenetic analysis, these two MV pathway clusters were identified as probably being independently distributed in strain KO-3988 (orthologs), rather than one cluster being generated by the duplication of the other cluster (paralogs).

1-Deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (IspC) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis: towards understanding mycobacterial resistance to fosmidomycin

1-Deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate reductoisomerase (IspC) catalyzes the first committed step in the mevalonate-independent isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthetic pathway and is a potential drug target in some pathogenic bacteria. The antibiotic fosmidomycin has been shown to inhibit IspC in a number of organisms and is active against most gram-negative bacteria but not gram positives, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, even though the mevalonate-independent pathway is the sole isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthetic pathway in this organism. Therefore, the enzymatic properties of recombinant IspC from M. tuberculosis were characterized. Rv2870c from M. tuberculosis converts 1-deoxy-d-xylulose 5-phosphate to 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate in the presence of NADPH. The enzymatic activity is dependent on the presence of Mg(2+) ions and exhibits optimal activity between pH 7.5 and 7.9; the K(m) for 1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate was calculated to be 47.1 microM, and the K(m) for NADPH was 29.7 microM. The specificity constant of Rv2780c in the forward direction is 1.5 x 10(6) M(-1) min(-1), and the reaction is inhibited by fosmidomycin, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 310 nM. In addition, Rv2870c complements an inactivated chromosomal copy of IspC in Salmonella enterica, and the complemented strain is sensitive to fosmidomycin. Thus, M. tuberculosis resistance to fosmidomycin is not due to intrinsic properties of Rv2870c, and the enzyme appears to be a valid drug target in this pathogen.

Microbial Isoprenoid Production: An Example of Green Chemistry through Metabolic Engineering

Saving energy, cost efficiency, producing less waste, improving the biodegradability of products, potential for producing novel and complex molecules with improved properties, and reducing the dependency on fossil fuels as raw materials are the main advantages of using biotechnological processes to produce chemicals. Such processes are often referred to as green chemistry or white biotechnology. Metabolic engineering, which permits the rational design of cell factories using directed genetic modifications, is an indispensable strategy for expanding green chemistry. In this chapter, the benefits of using metabolic engineering approaches for the development of green chemistry are illustrated by the recent advances in microbial production of isoprenoids, a diverse and important group of natural compounds with numerous existing and potential commercial applications. Accumulated knowledge on the metabolic pathways leading to the synthesis of the principal precursors of isoprenoids is reviewed, and recent investigations into isoprenoid production using engineered cell factories are described.

fldAis an essential gene required in the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis

Although flavodoxin I is indispensable for Escherichia coli growth, the exact pathway(s) where flavodoxin I is essential has not been identified. We performed transposon mutagenesis of the flavodoxin I gene, fldA, in an E. coli strain that expressed mevalonate pathway enzymes and that had a point mutation in the lytB gene of the MEP pathway resulting in the accumulation of (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP). Disruption of fldA abrogated mevalonate-independent growth and dramatically decreased HMBPP levels. The fldA- mutant grew with mevalonate indicating that the essential role of flavodoxin I under aerobic conditions is in the MEP pathway. Growth was restored by fldA complementation. Since GcpE (which synthesizes HMBPP) and LytB are iron-sulfur enzymes that require a reducing system for their activity, we propose that flavodoxin is essential for GcpE and possibly LytB activity. Thus, the essential role for flavodoxin I in E. coli is in the MEP pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis.

Studies on Biosynthetic Genes and Enzymes of Isoprenoids Produced by Actinomycetes

Most Streptomyces strains are equipped with only the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway for the formation of isopentenyl diphosphate, a common precursor of isoprenoids. In addition to this pathway, some Streptomyces strains possess the mevalonate (MV) pathway via which isoprenoid antibiotics are produced. We have recently cloned and analyzed the MV pathway gene clusters and their flanking regions from terpentecin, BE-40644, and furaquinocin A producers. All these clusters contained genes coding for mevalonate kinase, mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase, phosphomevalonate kinase, type 2 IPP isomerase, HMG-CoA reductase, and HMG-CoA synthase. The order of each of the open reading frames (ORFs) is also the same, and the respective homologous ORFs show more than 70% amino acid identity with each other. In contrast to these conservative gene organizations, the biosynthetic genes of terpentecin, BE-40644, and furaquinocin A were located just upstream and/or downstream of the MV pathway gene cluster. These facts suggested that all the actinomycete strains possessing both the MV and MEP pathways produce isoprenoid compounds and the biosynthetic genes of one of these isoprenoids usually exist adjacent to the MV pathway gene cluster. Therefore, when the presence of the MV cluster is detected by molecular genetic techniques, isoprenoids may be produced by the cultivation of these actinomycete strains. During the course of these studies, we identified diterpene cyclases possessing unique primary structures that differ from those of eukaryotes and catalyze unique reactions.

Type 2 isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase from a thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus shibatae

Although isopentenyl diphosphate-dimethylallyl diphosphate isomerase is thought to be essential for archaea because they use the mevalonate pathway, its corresponding activity has not been detected in any archaea. A novel type of the enzyme, which has no sequence similarity to the known, well-studied type of enzymes, was recently reported in some bacterial strains. In this study, we describe the cloning of a gene of a homologue of the novel bacterial isomerase from a thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus shibatae. The gene was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzyme was purified and characterized. The thermostable archaeal enzyme is tetrameric, and requires NAD(P)H and Mg2+ for activity, similar to its bacterial homologues. Using its apoenzyme, we were able to confirm that the archaeal enzyme is strictly dependent on FMN. Moreover, we provide evidence to show that the enzyme also has NADH dehydrogenase activity although it catalyzes the isomerase reaction without consuming any detectable amount of NADH.

Lateral gene transfer and the origins of prokaryotic groups

Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is now known to be a major force in the evolution of prokaryotic genomes. To date, most analyses have focused on either (a) verifying phylogenies of individual genes thought to have been transferred, or (b) estimating the fraction of individual genomes likely to have been introduced by transfer. Neither approach does justice to the ability of LGT to effect massive and complex transformations in basic biology. In some cases, such transformation will be manifested as the patchy distribution of a seemingly fundamental property (such as aerobiosis or nitrogen fixation) among the members of a group classically defined by the sharing of other properties (metabolic, morphological, or molecular, such as small subunit ribosomal RNA sequence). In other cases, the lineage of recipients so transformed may be seen to comprise a new group of high taxonomic rank ("class" or even "phylum"). Here we review evidence for an important role of LGT in the evolution of photosynthesis, aerobic respiration, nitrogen fixation, sulfate reduction, methylotrophy, isoprenoid biosynthesis, quorum sensing, flotation (gas vesicles), thermophily, and halophily. Sometimes transfer of complex gene clusters may have been involved, whereas other times separate exchanges of many genes must be invoked.

Mevalonate and nonmevalonate pathways for the biosynthesis of isoprene units

Isoprenoids are synthesized by consecutive condensations of their five-carbon precursor, isopentenyl diphosphate, to its isomer, dimethylallyl diphosphate. Two pathways for these precursors are known. One is the mevalonate pathway, which operates in eucaryotes, archaebacteria, and cytosols of higher plants. The other is a recently discovered pathway, the nonmevalonate pathway, which is used by many eubacteria, green algae, and chloroplasts of higher plants. To date, five reaction steps in this new pathway and their corresponding enzymes have been identified. EC numbers of these enzymes have been assigned by the Nomenclature Committee of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NC-IUBMB) and are available at http://www.chem.qmw.ac.uk/iubmb/enzyme/reaction/terp/nonMVA.html.

Enterococcus faecalis 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase, an enzyme of isopentenyl diphosphate biosynthesis

Biosynthesis of the isoprenoid precursor isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) proceeds via two distinct pathways. Sequence comparisons and microbiological data suggest that multidrug-resistant strains of gram-positive cocci employ exclusively the mevalonate pathway for IPP biosynthesis. Bacterial mevalonate pathway enzymes therefore offer potential targets for development of active site-directed inhibitors for use as antibiotics. We used the PCR and Enterococcus faecalis genomic DNA to isolate the mvaS gene that encodes 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase, the second enzyme of the mevalonate pathway. mvaS was expressed in Escherichia coli from a pET28 vector with an attached N-terminal histidine tag. The expressed enzyme was purified by affinity chromatography on Ni(2+)-agarose to apparent homogeneity and a specific activity of 10 micromol/min/mg. Analytical ultracentrifugation showed that the enzyme is a dimer (mass, 83.9 kDa; s(20,w), 5.3). Optimal activity occurred in 2.0 mM MgCl(2) at 37(o)C. The DeltaH(a) was 6,000 cal. The pH activity profile, optimum activity at pH 9.8, yielded a pK(a) of 8.8 for a dissociating group, presumably Glu78. The stoichiometry per monomer of acetyl-CoA binding was 1.2 +/- 0.2 and that of covalent acetylation was 0.60 +/- 0.02. The K(m) for the hydrolysis of acetyl-CoA was 10 microM. Coupled conversion of acetyl-CoA to mevalonate was demonstrated by using HMG-CoA synthase and acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase/HMG-CoA reductase from E. faecalis.

Identification of a gene cluster for the mevalonate pathway in Lactobacillus helveticus

Three Lactobacillus helveticus 53/7 genes essential for the biosynthesis of isopentenyl diphosphate and the gene coding for a putative carotenoid biosynthesis protein were for the first time identified from lactic acid bacteria. The deduced amino acid sequences of the mevalonate pathway gene products share significant identity with corresponding proteins of a few gram-positive cocci and Streptomyces species.

LytB, a novel gene of the 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis in Escherichia coli

The mevalonate-independent 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis is essential in many eubacteria, plants, and the malaria parasite. Using genetically engineered Escherichia coli cells able to utilize exogenously provided mevalonate for isoprenoid biosynthesis by the mevalonate pathway we demonstrate that the lytB gene is involved in the trunk line of the MEP pathway. Cells deleted for the essential lytB gene were viable only if the medium was supplemented with mevalonate or the cells were complemented with an episomal copy of lytB.

Biosynthesis of terpenoids. 2C-Methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase (IspF) from Plasmodium falciparum

The putative catalytic domain of an open reading frame from Plasmodium falciparum with similarity to the ispF gene of Escherichia coli specifying 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate synthase was expressed in a recombinant E. coli strain. The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity and was found to catalyze the formation of 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2,4-cyclodiphosphate from 4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2-phosphate at a rate of 4.3 micromol x mg(-1) x min(-1). At lower rates, the recombinant protein catalyzes the formation of 2-phospho-2C-methyl-D-erythritol 3,4-cyclophosphate from 4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol 2-phosphate and the formation of 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 3,4-cyclophosphate from 4-diphosphocytidyl-2C-methyl-D-erythritol. Divalent metal ions such as magnesium or manganese are required for catalytic activity. The enzyme has a pH optimum at pH 7.0. Recombinant expression of the full-length open reading frame afforded insoluble protein that could not be folded in vitro. The enzyme is a potential target for antimalarial drugs directed at the nonmevalonate pathway of isoprenoid biosynthesis.

An unusual isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase found in the mevalonate pathway gene cluster from Streptomyces sp. strain CL190

A gene cluster encoding five enzymes of the mevalonate pathway had been cloned from Streptomyces sp. strain CL190. This gene cluster contained an additional ORF, orfD, encoding an unknown protein that was detected in some archaebacteria and some Gram-positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus. The recombinant product of orfD was purified as a soluble protein and characterized. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 37 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 155 kDa by gel filtration chromatography, suggesting that the enzyme is most likely to be a tetramer. The purified enzyme contained flavin mononucleotide (FMN) with the amount per tetramer being 1.4 to 1.6 mol/mol. The enzyme catalyzed the isomerization of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) to produce dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) in the presence of both FMN and NADPH. The Escherichia coli plasmid expressing orfD could complement the disrupted IPP isomerase gene in E. coli. These results indicate that orfD encodes an unusual IPP isomerase showing no sequence similarity to those of IPP isomerases identified to date. Based on the difference in enzymatic properties, we classify the IPP isomerases into two types: Type 2 for FMN- and NAD(P)H-dependent enzymes, and type 1 for the others. In view of the critical role of this isomerase in S. aureus and of the different enzymatic properties of mammalian (type 1) and S. aureus (type 2) isomerases, this unusual enzyme is considered to be a suitable molecular target for the screening of antibacterial drugs specific to S. aureus.

An unusual isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase found in the mevalonate pathway gene cluster from Streptomyces sp. strain CL190

A gene cluster encoding five enzymes of the mevalonate pathway had been cloned from Streptomyces sp. strain CL190. This gene cluster contained an additional ORF, orfD, encoding an unknown protein that was detected in some archaebacteria and some Gram-positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus. The recombinant product of orfD was purified as a soluble protein and characterized. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 37 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 155 kDa by gel filtration chromatography, suggesting that the enzyme is most likely to be a tetramer. The purified enzyme contained flavin mononucleotide (FMN) with the amount per tetramer being 1.4 to 1.6 mol/mol. The enzyme catalyzed the isomerization of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) to produce dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) in the presence of both FMN and NADPH. The Escherichia coli plasmid expressing orfD could complement the disrupted IPP isomerase gene in E. coli. These results indicate that orfD encodes an unusual IPP isomerase showing no sequence similarity to those of IPP isomerases identified to date. Based on the difference in enzymatic properties, we classify the IPP isomerases into two types: Type 2 for FMN- and NAD(P)H-dependent enzymes, and type 1 for the others. In view of the critical role of this isomerase in S. aureus and of the different enzymatic properties of mammalian (type 1) and S. aureus (type 2) isomerases, this unusual enzyme is considered to be a suitable molecular target for the screening of antibacterial drugs specific to S. aureus.