A putative proteinase gene is involved in regulation of landomycin E biosynthesis in Streptomyces globisporus 1912

The prx gene, which is highly homologous to putative proteinases, has been identified by sequencing in the vicinity of the biosynthetic gene cluster for landomycin E (LaE) biosynthesis (lnd) in Streptomyces globisporus 1912. The S. globisporus Pro6 gene, deficient in prx, produced fivefold less LaE than the parental strain. The expression of prx in S. globisporus Pro6 restored LaE production to wild-type levels, whereas expression of the pathway-specific regulatory gene lndI did not. The introduction of additional copies of prx into the wild-type strain using a pSG5-based plasmid, pKC1139, led to a 2.7-fold increase in LaE production. These results indicate that prx is a novel regulatory gene for LaE biosynthesis.     

Simultaneous regulation of plasmid replication and heterologous gene expression in Escherichia coli.

An expression plasmid in which plasmid DNA replication and heterologous gene expression can be simultaneously regulated was constructed to avoid derepression prior to induction. This was achieved by placing a pBR322 origin of replication immediately downstream of an anthranilate synthase-human epidermal growth factor fusion gene (trpE-hEGF), both under the control of the promoter from the tryptophan biosynthetic operon. Regulation of plasmid copy number ensured tight repression of the trp promoter prior to induction. Upon induction, plasmid copy number increased up to six-fold and the fusion protein accumulated to approximately 12% of total cell protein. Induction experiments with a series of plasmid derivatives with sequentially lower copy numbers revealed that accumulation levels of the TrpE-hEGF fusion protein post-induction correlated well with plasmid copy number. Plasmid constructs where the native trp promoter had been replaced by derivatives deleted of the attenuator resulted in high levels of hEGF accumulation in the tryptophan-free medium prior to induction. Nevertheless, up to two-fold increase in TrpE-hEGF accumulation levels were obtained using the constructs lacking the attenuator compared to those bearing the native trp promoter.     

多杀菌素生物合成基因簇启动子探测和转录时序

多杀菌素是对农业虫害防治及粮食仓储安全均具有重大意义的农用抗生素.为了深入揭示刺糖多孢菌合成多杀菌素的调控特点,首先通过建立基于报告基因的启动子探测技术,探测了多杀菌素生物合成基因簇的9个启动子活性.并进一步通过荧光定量PCR,分析了这9个基因和不在基因簇内的负责糖基前体供应和鼠李糖合成的4个基因的转录时序,结果表明多杀菌素生物合成基因簇内的9个基因在菌体生长进入稳定期时有较高的转录,这和发酵液中此时开始大量积累多杀菌素一致;同时还发现,簇外的4个与糖基供应相关的基因和基因簇内基因的转录时序不同,它们在菌体生长对数期有较高的转录活性,这暗示多杀菌素聚酮链的合成速率和参与后修饰的糖基底物供应的最优化匹配有可能是提高生物合成多杀菌素的前提和关键.