Functional characterization of O‐methyltransferases used to catalyse site‐specific methylation in the post‐tailoring steps of pradimicin biosynthesis |
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| Authors: | J.W. Han B.G. Ng J.K. Sohng Y.J. Yoon G.J. Choi B.S. Kim |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Biotechnology, Korea University Graduate School, Seoul, Korea;2. Center for Eco‐friendly New Materials, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Korea;3. Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan, Korea;4. Department of Chemistry and Nano Science, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea;5. Division of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea |
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| Abstract: | Aims To identify the roles of the two O‐methyltransferase homologous genes pdmF and pdmT in the pradimicin biosynthetic gene cluster of Actinomadura hibisca P157‐2. Methods and Results Pradimicins are pentangular polyphenol antibiotics synthesized by bacterial type II polyketide synthases (PKSs) and tailoring enzymes. Pradimicins are naturally derivatized by combinatorial O‐methylation at two positions (i.e., 7‐OH and 11‐OH) of the benzo[α]naphthacenequinone structure. PdmF and PdmT null mutants (PFKO and PTKO) were generated. PFKO produced the 11‐O‐demethyl shunt metabolites 11‐O‐demethylpradimicinone II ( 1 ), 11‐O‐demethyl‐7‐methoxypradimicinone II ( 2 ), 11‐O‐demethylpradimicinone I ( 3 ) and 11‐O‐demethylpradimicin A ( 4 ), while PTKO generated the 7‐O‐demethyl derivatives pradimicinone II ( 5 ) and 7‐hydroxypradimicin A ( 6 ). Pradimicinones 1 , 2 , 3 , and 5 were fed to a heterologous host Escherichia coli harbouring expression plasmid pET‐22b::pdmF or pET‐28a::pdmT. PdmF catalysed 11‐O‐methylation of pradimicinones 1 , 2 , and 3 regardless of O‐methylation at the C‐7 position, while PdmT was unable to catalyse 7‐O‐methylation when the C‐11 hydroxyl group was methylated ( 5 ). Conclusions PdmF and PdmT were involved in 11‐O‐ and 7‐O‐methylations of the benzo[α]naphthacenequinone moiety of pradimicin, respectively. Methylation of the C‐7 hydroxyl group precedes methylation of the C‐11 hydroxyl group in pradimicin biosynthesis. Significance and Impact of the Study This is the first reported demonstration of the functions of PdmF and PdmT for regiospecific O‐methylation, which contributes to better understanding of the post‐PKS modifications in pradimicin biosynthesis as well as to rational engineering of the pradimicin biosynthetic machinery. |
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| Keywords: | aromatic polyketide methyltransferase O‐methyltransferase polyketide pradimicin pradimicin biosynthesis pradimicinone |
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